https://www.straitstimes.com/life/a-longevity-experts-5-tips-for-ageing-well
2026-04-07
NEW YORK – About two decades ago, a California research team observed a striking phenomenon: While a majority of older adults have at least two chronic diseases, some people reach their 80s without major illness.
The researchers suspected the key to healthier ageing was genetic. But after sequencing the genomes of 1,400 of these ageing outliers – a cohort they called the “wellderly” – they found almost no difference between their biological make-up and that of their peers.
The wellderly were, however, more physically and socially active, and typically better educated than the general public.
That genes do not necessarily determine healthy ageing is liberating, and suggests that “we can pretty much all do better” to delay disease, said Dr Eric Topol. The cardiologist is the founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, which ran the wellderly study.
Dr Topol is a prominent molecular scientist who has published 1,300 research articles and written multiple books. He also has several hundred thousand followers across social media and his newsletter.
His latest book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach To Longevity (2025), delves into the rapidly evolving science of ageing.
In it, he writes that tools such as biological age tests and increasingly sophisticated health risk prediction could eventually paint a clearer picture of how people are ageing.
With these tools and new scientific insight into how lifestyle drives the biological breakdown that comes with age, he writes, people can now do more to delay that process. While people are more likely to get diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes as they get older, these illnesses can develop over the course of decades. This gives a “long runway” to try to counter them, Dr Topol said.
Here are five strategies for ageing healthier.
Take up strength training
People who exercise regularly live longer than those who do not. Studies reliably show that physical activity reduces the risk of cancer, depression, diabetes and mortality overall.
But even Dr Topol was surprised to learn that strength training in particular can significantly lower your risks. One meta-analysis mentioned in the book found that an hour of resistance training a week lowered subjects’ mortality risk by 25 per cent.
Strength training has also been linked to better sleep, higher bone density and improved mental health, compared with no exercise. While there is no magic threshold for how strong you should be to delay decline, the stronger you are, the better, Dr Topol said.
In his book Super Agers, Dr Eric Topol argues that people now have the tools to age better. ILLUSTRATION: SONIA PULIDO/NYTIMES
Schedule your sleep
Studies show that adequate sleep can reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and many other illnesses.
Committing to a consistent sleep schedule is also important. One analysis found that irregular sleep schedules increased subjects’ all-cause mortality risk.
Deep sleep is especially critical for better ageing, Dr Topol said. Research suggests that people who get fewer hours of deep sleep a night are at higher risk for dementia, for instance.
While drafting Super Agers, Dr Topol said, he increased his deep sleep from 15 minutes to almost an hour a night over the course of a year by going to sleep at the same time each night, among other lifestyle changes. He used a wearable sleep tracker and a smartphone app to monitor his sleep patterns.
Most sleep aids, though, do not get you deep, restorative sleep, he warned.
Lifestyle changes – rather than drugs or supplements – are far more likely to increase your sleep duration and quality, he said.
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Bolster your mental health
Managing stress, and improving your mental health more broadly, are critical for lowering the risk of chronic disease and mortality.
There are simple steps to improve your mental health and delay disease, Dr Topol said, such as spending time outdoors. One study found that subjects who spent at least 30 minutes a week in outdoor green spaces experienced lower rates of depression and high blood pressure.
Studies show people with active social lives typically have a lower risk of mortality and disease. The wellderly adults in the Scripps study also tended to have rich social lives, Dr Topol wrote in Super Agers.
Use tests and trackers sparingly
Many longevity influencers promote blood and saliva tests that claim to measure a person’s biological age and can cost US$100 (S$129) or more.
New protein analyses, not yet on the market, are intended to estimate how quickly certain organs are breaking down. Scientists are also exploring biomarker tests to predict conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Dr Topol does not recommend the ageing tests on the market today, as they are expensive and it is unclear how accurate they are. But as these tests get cheaper and more sophisticated, they could help you understand your individual risks, he said.
And while he is optimistic that some wearable devices like sleep trackers or glucose monitors can help you estimate your sleep patterns or blood sugar, there is no data suggesting that using trackers without making real lifestyle changes can meaningfully improve your health, he said.
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Be wary of influencers
Longevity enthusiasts may find themselves doing their own research, especially if their doctors are not up to date on the latest technological advances.
But popular influencers are often biased, Dr Topol warned.
There is no reason to experiment with drugs, therapies or supplements that have not undergone clinical trials, he said, especially when exercise, sleep, improved mental health and diet are more likely to extend your life and health span, he said.
“If they’re hawking a supplement,” he added, “I would kick them off the list of being credible.” NYTIMES
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