Blue Zones, longevity, lifespan – these are words we’ve all come across in recent years. But what does it actually mean to age well? It’s something Liz covers passionately in her book How To Age.
“With ageing populations slipping into decline faster than ever, it’s time to rethink what it really means to age well,” she says. “There is so much we can do to influence how we look, feel and function in later life.”
Here, we reveal some of the easiest longevity hacks to slot into your routine. Ones that will make you feel genuinely better, without breaking the bank or needing to overhaul your entire routine.
7 easy things you can do to improve how well you’re ageing
Walk after eating
It almost sounds too simple to matter, but walking for around 10 minutes after you finish eating can be a real game-changer. And there’s science behind it, too.
“When your muscles contract, they help pull glucose out of the bloodstream and use it for energy,” explains registered dietitian Melanie Murphy Richter. “A 2022 review found that breaking up prolonged sitting with brief periods of light walking significantly improved post-meal glucose and insulin levels.”
This doesn’t mean every rise in blood sugar is bad, or that two minutes replaces regular exercise. But better glucose control is an important part of maintaining metabolic health as we age.
“Two minutes is an incredibly doable place to start,” says Melanie. “If it naturally becomes five or 10 minutes, even better.”
Squat while the kettle boils
From around our 30s onwards, we naturally start to lose muscle unless we actively work to keep it. The good news? It’s never too late to build strength. For Liz, regular resistance training is key.
“I didn’t pick up my first weight until my late fifties, but I wish someone had told me to start earlier,” she says. “Now in my mid-sixties, I lift weights or do weight-bearing exercises (such as push-ups) two to three times a week – not for very long (they’re wonderfully time efficient), but consistency is the key.”
Liz is also a big fan of exercise snacking – aka fitting in movement when you can.
Waiting for the kettle to boil or the microwave to finish is the perfect time to do some push-ups against the counter or squats.
“If squats don’t feel good in your body, try 10 calf raises or a short round of standing high knees, which engage the hips while requiring stabilisation through the lower core,” advises Melanie. “Every time we contract our muscles, we give the body another opportunity to use glucose and interrupt prolonged periods of sitting.”
Take three intentional breaths
If you don’t make time for anything else, make sure you slot in a moment for three breaths. And not the kind you half take while you’re answering emails, scrolling on social media or thinking about your to-do list.
A good time to do it is just before you begin eating. “Your body may be sitting at the table, but your nervous system is still running through the day,” says Melanie.
Three slow breaths create a small transition between stress and digestion.
“They’re not going to magically fix your gut, but they can help reduce physiological arousal and make you more present with your food,” Melanie explains. “That gives you a chance to notice your hunger, fullness, eating speed, and how the meal actually makes you feel.”
Get your sauna on
When it comes to low-effort longevity wins, sitting in a sauna is high on our list. Liz is a fan too – especially of infra-red saunas. These use infra-red light to gently warm the body directly.
“Emerging research suggests that this modern form of heat therapy brings with it a mass of body benefits, especially as we age,” says Liz. “Infra-red saunas can also support detoxification through gentle, sustained sweating.
“Regular use of an infra-red sauna helps stimulate the lymphatic system and supports liver function by promoting circulation and enhancing elimination of waste matter through the skin.”
Melanie agrees.
“Regular sauna bathing has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events,” she says. “There’s also research suggesting potential benefits for blood pressure, arterial stiffness, vascular function, and cardiorespiratory fitness.”
Experts suggest two to three weekly sessions to reap the hot rewards, but if you can’t easily get to a sauna, a hot bath or shower can still work wonders.
Add one fibre-rich plant food to your day
A fibre-packed diet is essential for good gut health, so adding just one fibrous food to meals each day can be an easy addition.
This might mean adding half a cup of beans to lunch, berries to breakfast, chia or flax to a smoothie, or vegetables and hummus as a snack.
“Fibre does so much more than help you have regular bowel movements,” says Melanie. “It helps moderate the blood sugar response to a meal, supports healthy cholesterol levels, improves satiety, and feeds the beneficial microbes living in your gut.”
In other words, one relatively small dietary change can reach multiple systems connected to how well we age.
Step outside in the morning
The light we’re exposed to each day does far more than lift our mood – it helps regulate our body clock, supports our mitochondria, and influences our energy levels, metabolism and long-term health.
Liz describes light as “one of the most powerful pro-ageing tools we have” and even credits this small habit as changing her health.
“Light is truly one of the most overlooked tools for healthy ageing,” she says. But in today’s world, many of us spend our mornings under artificial lighting and our evenings bathed in bright LEDs – the opposite of what our bodies evolved to expect.
A morning walk, or simply taking a cup of tea outside, is a gentle way to reap the rewards of early morning light.
Get a good night’s sleep
Good sleep isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s potentially one of the most powerful tools for healthy ageing. Disrupted sleep in midlife can impact everything from mood and metabolism to cardiovascular wellbeing.
Making the most of natural daylight outside each morning can also have a knock-on effect for our sleep. It supports our circadian rhythm and melatonin production later at night, meaning a greater likelihood of better rest.
“The blue-enriched wavelengths of morning light have the strongest impact on our circadian rhythm,” says Liz. “That’s why stepping outside for just 10 minutes early in the day can make such a dramatic difference to how well we sleep that night.”
Liz also advises prioritising consistency over weekend lie-ins, aiming to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
