What three habits make us age fastest?

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Which three habits make us age fastest?

Thanks for asking.

Getting older frightens a lot of people, and for some it even becomes an obsession. American multi-millionaire and biohacker Bryan Johnson is perhaps the most prominent example from this day and age. He became famous for spending over 1.5 million pounds a year on Project Blueprint, taking dozens of pills and supplements, and undergoing extensive medical testing with the aim of slowing down his own aging process and achieving immortality. Now, of course, some aspects of aging, including our genes, are totally beyond our control. But still, our everyday behaviour can influence our health span, which is the number of years we remain in good health. Three habits in particular are associated with a greater risk of age-related illness and premature death. Let me guess, diet is one of the three, isn't it? Indeed, the first is regularly eating an unhealthy diet, and particularly one dominated by ultra-processed foods, the dangers of which we've talked about in the past on Do You Really Know?

Ultra-processed foods include products like processed meats, crisps, sugary drinks and many mass-produced cakes and ready meals. They're often high in salt, sugar or saturated fat, and low in fibre. In 2024, a major review by the British Medical Journal linked high exposure to ultra-processed foods with an increased risk of over 30 damaging health outcomes, including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental health disorders and early death. The researchers recognised that such umbrella reviews can only provide high-level overviews, meaning the evidence is observational and that other factors may have influenced those health outcomes. Still, they said that they use rigorous and pre-specified systematic methods, and that as such the results withstand scrutiny. The NHS recommends eating a varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and basing meals on higher fibre foods such as potatoes, bread, rice or pasta. Cooking with minimally processed ingredients more often can make that easier.

What's the second bad habit then? Physical inactivity, another common struggle for many. You see, regular movement helps protect the heart, muscles and bones. It can also reduce the risk of conditions including heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, while supporting sleep and mental health. According to Sport England's latest Active Lives survey, around a quarter of adults in England did less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. The general trend is positive, in that there are less inactive people than in years gone by, but still that's a high proportion of inactive people. Current UK guidance says adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk walking or cycling, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Which is activity that leaves you out of breath or sweating. You should get some strengthening at exercises in at least two days per week too. Of course, that doesn't mean you have to become a professional athlete. Any movement is better than none, and breaking up long periods of sitting is a good place to start.

What's the third bad habit? Regularly failing to get enough good quality sleep. Sleep supports the immune system, metabolism, memory and emotional regulation. Persistently poor or insufficient sleep is associated with a range of physical and mental health problems. One bad night won't suddenly make you age, but an ongoing pattern can undermine long-term health. Although individual needs vary, the NHS says most healthy adults need around 7 to 9 hours a night. A study from October 2023 by insurance company Aviva, found that over half of UK adults weren't getting that amount. Going to bed earlier may help, but consistency and sleep quality matter too. Keeping regular sleeping hours, relaxing before bed, and limiting late caffeine in screen use can all make a difference. If you regularly struggle to sleep or remain exhausted during the day, speak to a GP rather than simply accepting it as part of getting older. Ultimately, there's no proven way to stop ageing. But eating a balanced diet, staying active, and getting sufficient sleep can improve your chances of living more of your life in good health.