Your longevity is about more than just your lifespan: it’s about staying healthier for longer as you age. Longevity expert Dr Mohammed Enayat explains how much influence you have over your longevity – and which habits you should be focusing on to age well.
With advances in medicine, people are living longer than ever. But in recent years, the focus has shifted away from lifespan and life expectancy and more towards ‘healthspan’ and longevity.
Rather than only striving to survive for as long as you can, longevity is about futureproofing your wellbeing and enjoying good health for longer as you age – and it turns out you have more control over this than you might think.
‘Longevity is about more than living longer,’ explains Dr Mohammed Enayat, GP, longevity expert and founder of HUM2N. ‘It’s about extending the number of years we spend in good health – known as your ‘healthspan’ – with energy, mobility, independence and quality of life.’
‘Interest in longevity has surged in recent years because people are living longer than ever before, but many are also spending more years managing chronic health conditions,’ he adds. ‘At the same time, advances in science, nutrition and preventative healthcare have shown that many of the factors influencing how we age are within our control.
‘Rather than accepting ageing as something that simply happens to us, people are becoming increasingly interested in how their daily habits can influence how they look, feel and function for decades to come.’
How much control do we have over our longevity?
‘While genetics plays a role, they account for far less of our longevity than many people think,’ Dr Enayat explains. ‘Research suggests that lifestyle and environmental factors have a significantly greater influence on how we age than our genes alone.’
According to Dr Enayat, consistently making healthy choices about what you eat, how much you move, how you manage stress, how well you sleep and the quality of your relationships all influence your long term health. ‘We may not be able to choose our genetics, but we have considerable influence over the way those genes are expressed throughout our lives.’
And the best news? It’s never too late to start positively influencing your longevity. ‘Whether someone is 35, 55 or 75, improving nutrition, becoming more physically active, prioritising sleep and addressing risk factors such as high blood pressure can lead to measurable health improvements,’ he explains. ‘The body has an extraordinary ability to adapt and repair when given the right support.
Ditch these habits to improve your longevity
There are plenty of habits that can extend your longevity – but on the flip side, lots of habits can have a detrimental impact on your future health, too.
According to Dr Enayat, the habits most strongly linked to poorer health outcomes and reduced lifespan include:
- Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
- Chronic sleep deprivation
- Physical inactivity
- Carrying excess body fat, particularly around the abdomen
- Poor stress management
- Highly processed diets low in fibre and nutrients
- Social isolation and loneliness
- Ignoring routine health screenings and preventative care
- Spending prolonged periods sitting with little daily movement
‘These habits can contribute to inflammation, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction and cognitive decline,’ he explains, ‘all of which are associated with accelerated ageing.’
10 healthy habits for a longer, healthier life
1. Prioritise strength training
‘One of the strongest predictors of healthy ageing is maintaining muscle mass,’ Dr Enayat explains. ‘From our thirties onwards, we naturally begin to lose muscle, which can impact mobility, metabolism and independence later in life. Aim for two to three strength sessions per week to preserve strength, bone density and functional fitness.’
2. Walk every day
‘Walking remains one of the most underrated longevity tools available. Regular walking supports cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation, mental wellbeing and mobility. Daily movement is often more important than occasional intense exercise.’
3. Protect your sleep
‘Sleep is when the body performs much of its repair and recovery work. Consistently getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep supports everything from immune function and hormone balance to cognitive health and healthy ageing.’
4. Focus on protein and fibre at every meal
‘Rather than obsessing over restrictive diets, focus on eating enough protein to maintain muscle and enough fibre to support gut health. Both become increasingly important for women as they move through their forties and fifties.’
5. Build strong social connections
‘Loneliness is increasingly recognised as a significant health risk. Strong friendships, family relationships and community connections are associated with better mental health, reduced stress and even longer lifespan.’
6. Manage stress before it becomes chronic
‘Short-term stress is normal, but chronic stress can negatively affect hormones, immunity and cardiovascular health. Daily stress-management practices such as meditation, breathwork, journalling or time spent in nature can have meaningful long-term benefits.’
7. Schedule preventative health checks
‘Longevity isn’t just about lifestyle habits; it’s also about identifying potential issues early. Routine blood tests, blood pressure checks, cholesterol monitoring and age-appropriate screenings can help catch problems before they become more serious.’
8. Maintain a healthy body composition
‘The goal isn’t necessarily to be thin, it’s to maintain a healthy balance of muscle and body fat. Excess visceral fat around the organs is associated with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and other age-related conditions.’
9. Embrace purposeful recovery
‘Many women are excellent at being productive but poor at resting. Recovery isn’t a luxury; it’s a biological necessity. Prioritising downtime, hobbies, relaxation and restorative activities helps support resilience and overall health.’
10. Adopt a long-term mindset
‘Perhaps the most important longevity habit is consistency. The healthiest people aren’t necessarily those following the latest wellness trend. They’re the people who practise simple healthy habits year after year. Longevity is built through thousands of small decisions that compound over time.’
It’s important to note that while you can influence your longevity by making consistent, healthy choices, the goal should never be perfection. ‘Small, consistent improvements maintained over time will almost always have a greater impact than short bursts of extreme health interventions,’ Dr Enayat explains.
‘For women in midlife, longevity should be viewed less as a quest to reach a specific age and more as an opportunity to maximise the quality of the years ahead,’ he continues. ‘The most powerful interventions are often the least glamorous: moving daily, building strength, sleeping well, managing stress, eating nourishing foods and staying connected to others. These habits may not be as exciting as the latest biohacking trend, but they remain the foundations of a long, healthy and vibrant life.’
Dr Mohammed Enayat is a GP, visionary leader in longevity and founder of HUM2N, the next-generation longevity clinic in London.
