9 science-backed tips for extending your healthspan

Published December 2024 | 7 min read
Expert contributors Luigi Fontana, Professor and Academics Scientific Director of the Charles Perkins Centre RPA Clinic at the University of Sydney; Viviana Wuthrich, Director of the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre at Macquarie University; Chris Pettigrew, Head of the HCF Research Foundation
Words by Sabrina Rogers-Anderson

When it comes to living longer, researchers agree we need to extend our healthspan (the number of years we live in good health), not just our lifespan. Here’s how.

If it feels like every time you open social media, there’s a new 'expert' explaining the secrets to longevity, it’s because that's the case. On Instagram alone, the term ‘longevity’ has over 1.6 million posts.

But how can you separate science-based fact from social media fiction and figure out how to live a longer and healthier life? The first step, says Professor Luigi Fontana, Academics Scientific Director of the Charles Perkins Centre RPA Clinic at the University of Sydney, is to understand the importance of healthspan when it comes to longevity.

What is healthspan?

While lifespan is how long we live from birth until death, healthspan refers to the number of years we live in good health and free from serious disease. The key to ageing well, according to the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, is to close the gap between our healthspan and our lifespan.

In Australia, our healthspan has risen steadily in Australia over the past three decades to 70 years. Our lifespan has improved dramatically (we’re now living about 30 years longer than someone born in the early 1900s). Men can expect to live to 81.2 years and women can expect to live to 85.3 years.

This differs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, where First Nations males live on average to 71.9 years and First Nations females live on average to 75.6 years. This 10-year difference is due to Australia’s increasing health inequity, and is a result of historic policies, discrimination and differing access to health and education services.

How do we age and what contributes to it?

The ageing process includes declining physical activity, lower energy levels and a loss of balance in our body’s systems and functions. The latter can lead to an increased risk of diseases and reduced physical activity.

Scientists also believe that certain genetic factors can contribute to our lifespan as well, though there’s some debate about this as it's a challenging area to study. Some genetic factors thought to affect our lifespan relate to immune system function, repairing damaged DNA and telomere maintenance (telomeres protect the ends of our DNA strands). 

However, a recent 20-year study suggests adopting a healthy lifestyle, even in later life and especially for people with 'genetic risk', can increase both our healthspan and our lifespan. Prof Fontana agrees.

“The major contributor to this [healthspan-lifespan] gap is the epidemic of obesity and unhealthy lifestyle,” he says. “In Australia, 25% of children aged two to 17 were overweight or obese. In adult men, that figure is 71.2%, and in women it’s 60.5%.”

How does prevention play a role in a long healthspan?

There's a relatively easy way for most Australians to prevent and reduce the risk of chronic diseases that shorten our lives, and it doesn’t include any expensive equipment, says Professor Viviana Wuthrich, Director of the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre at Macquarie University.

“Research shows that people who engage in high-intensity leisure activities live longer, but they’re not counting their steps, as you might imagine, instead they're doing whatever makes them happy – running, swimming, ice skating,” she says.

The most effective way to move your body is a way that you enjoy and that will become part of your life. This pared-back approach to longevity of regular exercise and social connection means we don't need the latest technology or a certain level of income to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. We simply need to find physical and social activities we enjoy and engage in them regularly.

“Go for the easy wins,” says Prof Wuthrich. “What are the things you can easily modify in your lifestyle and maintain for the next 40 years or more?”

Being socially connected is also essential, with the emphasis on stimulation.

“Forget Sudoku – it's social stimulation that's really important. People who engage in lots of social leisure activities have greater longevity,” she says.

Emerging technologies in healthspan

Over the past decade there have been advancements helping to extend our healthspan, including the use of AI-driven research, which can predict and model certain ageing outcomes, including our biological processes or looking at how the human body may react to its external environment.

Another area of study is the personalisation of lifestyle factors and treatments and how this personalisation can extend a person’s healthspan. HCF's Research Foundation has recently funded a program in conjunction with Charles Sturt University called Ageing Well@Home looking into this area in relation to regional and rural Australians – who may not have the same access to healthcare as their city counterparts.

“The program is designed for older people who are motivated to remain living at home,” explains Chris Pettigrew, Head of the HCF Research Foundation. “It delivers support through physical, social and mental strategies to maintain their independence and build confidence doing those everyday tasks and activities to stay independent.”

This pilot program has been so successful, mainly due to its very targeted and individualised approach, he adds, that HCF is now providing further funding to see if it can be delivered on a broader basis and still achieve the same outcomes.

“We would now like to see how effective the program can be when it's delivered in different settings, be it community health or in an aged care facility or various other modalities for delivery,” he says. “So, we can work out the most optimal way of delivering it to the most people in a personalised approach.”

This can not only support healthy ageing in the community, he adds, but also the burden of care on the health system.

“We know that Australia has an ageing population; we know there are issues getting into high-quality aged care and with the ageing population comes a lot of other factors with old age that will impact the health system,” he says. 

9 science-based tips to boost your healthspan

The connection between a personalised approach to prevention and healthspan is clear to see, says Chris, and it’s one we shouldn’t ignore.

“Creating a longer healthspan starts now, it doesn't matter how old you are,” he says. “Those things we always talk about in preventive health, be it exercise, diet, reducing your alcohol intake, those sorts of things can have an impact on your healthspan right now.” 

So, while there’s no magical fountain of youth, you could say the secret to living a long and healthy life boils down to adopting the right lifestyle habits.

1. Maintain a healthy weight and waist circumference

According to the World Health Organization, being overweight or obese can increase your likelihood of serious health issues, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, several types of cancer and premature death.

But your total weight is far from being the whole picture, says Prof Fontana. You also need to include regular exercise in your day-to-day life.

“You can have normal body weight, skinny legs and an increased waistline, and be as metabolically abnormal as an obese individual,” says Prof Fontana. “Every centimetre that you reduce your waistline improves your health in a big way. For it to be sustainable, you have to engage in resistance exercise to maintain or increase your muscle mass.”

2. Eat a Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet has been studied extensively and shown to be one of the healthiest in the world, says Prof Fontana.

The basis of this diet is to eat a wide variety of vegetables, minimally processed whole grains, legumes and beans, protein mainly from plants, fish, low-fat dairy and olive oil.

“If you decide to eat meat and poultry, choose lean cuts on an occasional basis, and avoid processed meat. You should also avoid ultra-processed food and beverages, refined carbs, soft drinks, butter, tropical oils [derived from the fruit of plants thriving near the equator in tropical climates, like palm oil, coconut oil and shea butter] and too much salt,” Prof Fontana says.  

3. Be active every day

If you’re under 65, the Australian government recommends 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity (think a brisk walk, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming) a week. If you’re over 65, the recommendation is 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily and breaking that into bite-sized 'snacks' can make it more manageable.

“Exercise is like any other medication that should be taken daily,” says Prof Fontana. “Exercising twice a week is like cleaning your teeth once a week – it’s not enough."

It’s also important to minimise sitting time, he adds. Every hour, get up for five minutes and walk around or climb stairs.

4. Avoid or limit alcohol

Despite studies claiming that moderate wine consumption is good for heart health, a major research review conducted as part of the Global Burden of Disease study found that no amount of alcohol is good for your health.

“Many health organisations now say: if you don’t drink, don’t start,” says Prof Fontana. “If you do choose to drink, be aware that there’s no low limit, so you should minimise your intake. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is totally discouraged.”

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5. Don’t smoke or vape

Smoking raises your risk of several types of cancer, lung disease, heart disease, eye problems and mental health issues, and vaping has several health risks attached to it as well.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you about how bad smoking and vaping is for your health,” says Prof Fontana.

6. Prioritise quality sleep

Many of us obsess over the exact number of hours we sleep each night, but Prof Fontana explains that what really matters is how much deep sleep and REM sleep you get.

“Deep sleep has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect where the brain washes out proteins that promote dementia,” he says. “And REM sleep is important for memory consolidation.”

As people get older, they tend to spend very minimal time in deep sleep, he says, but improving your sleep hygiene can help.

“It’s important to improve sleep quality by having a consistent sleep schedule, making sure the room isn’t too warm, turning off electronic blue-light devices at least 30 to 60 minutes before you go to sleep, and doing mindfulness or slow-breathing techniques,” he says.

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7. Nourish and protect your mind

Stress accelerates the ageing of our cells and causes inflammation that can lead to chronic disease, so it’s important to manage stress levels.

“Mindfulness meditation and slow, deep breathing activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us calm down,” says Prof Fontana.

Research also shows that keeping your brain active as you age can delay the onset of dementia.

 “It’s important to stimulate your mind with daily activities like learning new skills or engaging in artistic activities, and to adopt a lifelong mindset of self-awareness and seeking new knowledge and experiences,” he explains.

If you need help with conditions like stress, anxiety or worry, eligible HCF members can receive a free telehealth HealthyMinds Check-in with a PSYCH2U psychologist⁺.

8. Foster meaningful social connections

“Social activity is phenomenally good for longevity and for wellness in general,” says Prof Wuthrich. “The Harvard Longitudinal Study of Ageing found that people who had the biggest social networks at 50 were the happiest at 80.

“There's also lots of research that loneliness and social isolation are really bad for your cognition and physical health. It increases inflammation and cortisol levels, and your immune-system function goes down, all of which leads to physical health conditions.”

While friends and family play a critical role in our wellbeing, they’re only part of the puzzle.

“Researchers from the University of Queensland found that people have better cognition and overall health when they engage in regular social groups,” says Prof Wuthrich. “They think this is because it gives you a sense of identity – ‘I’m a bush walker’ or ‘I’m a knitter’ – that empowers you and makes you feel better about yourself.”

It’s also having lots of people to turn to when you need support, she adds.

“Social support reduces cortisol levels, stress, depression and anxiety, which improves your health and helps prevent early death.”

9. Embrace ageing

Do you commiserate about your age-related aches and forgetfulness whenever you catch up with friends? It could literally be ageing you. There's lots of evidence, says Prof Wuthrich, that having a more positive attitude to getting older is associated with less cognitive impairment, better physical health, less illness and a longer healthspan.

“This is really powerful because if you think positively about ageing, you're going to make necessary adjustments so you can keep going out, connecting with your friends, engaging with the community and staying physically active,” says Prof Wuthrich. “It’s not about fighting ageing but accepting it too.”

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