By Dr Saima Ajaz, a Hepatology Specialist Doctor and translational researcher at King’s College Hospital.
Why Healthspan Matters More Than Lifespan
Living longer is no longer the ultimate goal. What most of us really want is to stay healthy, active and independent for as many years as possible. That’s what doctors call your healthspan – the number of years you live in good health, free from serious illness or disability. While we cannot yet stop ageing, we can slow many of the biological processes that drive disease.
Scientists now know that ageing isn’t simply about the passing of time. It’s influenced by changes that happen inside our cells over many years. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at repairing damage, controlling inflammation and producing energy. These changes increase the risk of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and some cancers.
The good news is that many of the body’s natural repair systems respond remarkably well to healthy lifestyle habits. Regular exercise, quality sleep, eating enough protein, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, and giving your body time to recover can all help switch on these protective mechanisms. Therefore the choices you make every day may not just add years to your life, but they can help add life to your years.
1. Know Your Numbers – Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Many of the biggest threats to our long-term health, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and liver disease, can develop silently for years before symptoms appear. That’s why prevention is one of the cornerstones of longevity medicine. Rather than waiting until you’re unwell, understanding your key health markers can help identify potential problems early, when they are often easier to prevent or reverse.
Looking beyond routine health checks, advanced blood tests, body composition analysis and cardiovascular assessments can reveal hidden risks such as insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, elevated ApoB cholesterol and excess visceral fat long before they lead to disease. Knowing your numbers empowers you to make informed lifestyle changes and, where appropriate, seek early medical intervention.
As the saying goes, “What gets measured gets managed.” In longevity medicine, understanding your biomarkers is one of the most powerful steps you can take towards extending not just your lifespan, but your healthspan. Don’t just know your disease but understand it. Prevention begins years before disease develops.
2. Protect Your Metabolic Health – The Foundation of Healthy Ageing
Nearly every major chronic disease ranging from fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes to heart disease, dementia and some cancers shares one common denominator: poor metabolic health. You may not think much about your metabolic health, but it has a huge influence on how well you age. Metabolic health is how effectively your body converts food into energy while keeping your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure and body fat in a healthy range.
When your metabolism isn’t working correctly, conditions like insulin resistance, high blood sugar and excess visceral fat – the fat stored deep around your internal organs – can quietly increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and other age-related illnesses, often years before symptoms appear.
Importantly, your weight isn’t the only factor that matters. Research shows that visceral fat and waist circumference are often better indicators of future health than the number on the scales or your BMI. Regular exercise, building muscle, eating a balanced diet, prioritising sleep, and maintaining a healthy waistline can all help keep blood sugar stable, reduce harmful visceral fat, and protect your health for years to come.
3. Build Muscle – Your Longevity Organ
Muscle is about much more than strength or appearance – it is one of your body’s most important allies for healthy ageing. From around age 30, we naturally begin to lose muscle unless we actively work to maintain it.
Often described as a “longevity organ,” muscle plays a vital role in regulating blood sugar, supporting a healthy metabolism, protecting bones, improving balance and reducing the risk of falls as we get older. Maintaining muscle is also key to staying mobile, independent and able to enjoy life as we age.
Strength or resistance training two to three times a week is one of the best investments you can make in your future health. By building and preserving muscle, you are not just getting stronger today; you are helping protect your healthspan for years to come.
4. Prioritise Protein – Supporting Muscle, Metabolism and Repair
Protein is one of the key building blocks for healthy ageing. It helps maintain muscle, supports recovery after exercise and plays an important role in keeping our metabolism working efficiently. As we get older, our bodies become less effective at building and repairing muscle, making it increasingly important to include enough high-quality protein in our diet to support strength, mobility and independence.
However, when it comes to longevity, it may not simply be about eating more protein – the type and balance of protein we consume also matter. Proteins are made up of amino acids, and some of these, including methionine and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), are thought to influence pathways involved in ageing and metabolism.
Research has raised questions about whether very high intakes of animal protein, particularly red meat, which is naturally higher in these amino acids, may be associated with an increased risk of some age-related health problems. However, protein remains essential, and too little can contribute to muscle loss, weakness and reduced resilience as we age.
The key is balance and variety. Including quality protein sources such as fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and lean meats can help support muscle maintenance, recovery and long-term vitality. A simple rule to follow is to aim to include a source of protein with every meal.
5. Improve Your Sleep – The Forgotten Longevity Tool
Sleep is not simply a time to switch off – it is when your body carries out essential repair and recovery. During deep sleep, the brain clears waste, memories are processed and stored, muscles recover and important hormones are regulated. Sleep also plays a vital role in supporting the immune system while helping to regulate the hormones that control appetite, metabolism and body weight.
Consistently poor sleep has been linked to increased risks of weight gain, inflammation, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and cognitive decline. Research also suggests that insufficient sleep can contribute to an increase in visceral fat – the harmful fat stored around the internal organs.
Most adults need around seven or more hours of quality sleep each night to support long-term health. Prioritising a regular sleep routine, keeping your bedroom dark, staying physically active and reducing evening stimulants can help make sleep one of your most powerful tools for improving healthspan.
In short, poor sleep accelerates biological ageing by increasing inflammation, disrupting glucose metabolism and impairing the body’s overnight repair mechanisms.
6. Manage Chronic Stress – Protecting Your Brain, Hormones and Long-Term Health
Stress is a normal part of life, and short bursts can even be beneficial, helping us respond to challenges and adapt. However, when stress becomes constant, the body can remain in a heightened state of alert, with prolonged increases in cortisol – one of the body’s key stress hormones.
Over time, chronically elevated cortisol levels can disrupt the body’s natural balance, promoting inflammation, raising blood pressure and affecting areas of the brain involved in memory, learning and emotional regulation. Research suggests that long-term stress may contribute to an increased risk of agerelated conditions, including cognitive decline, depression and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Managing stress is therefore an important part of healthy ageing. Regular exercise, quality sleep, mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and strong social connections can all help regulate the stress response, lower physiological stress levels and protect both brain and body health.
As the saying goes: “Your body cannot repair itself if it believes it is constantly under threat.” Learning to manage stress is not just about feeling calmer today – it is an investment in your long-term healthspan.
7. Move Every Day: Exercise Is One of the Most Powerful Longevity Tools
Regular movement is one of the best investments you can make in your healthspan. You don’t need to become a marathon runner or spend hours in the gym – every movement counts. Walking, taking the stairs, cycling or simply breaking up long periods of sitting all send positive signals to your muscles, heart and brain.
Research, including large-scale UK Biobank studies, shows that even modest improvements in physical activity, alongside better diet and sleep habits, can significantly improve the number of years we live in good health.
A balanced approach works best: aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming, include strength training two to three times weekly to maintain muscle and bone health, and add short bursts of higher-intensity exercise if appropriate. Together, these activities improve cardiovascular fitness, boost energy, support a healthy metabolism and help you remain stronger, fitter and more independent as you age.
8. Look After Your Gut – The Connection Between Digestion, Immunity and Longevity
Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that play a surprisingly important role in your overall health, influencing everything from digestion and metabolism to immunity and even brain function. Research into the gut microbiomes of people who live to 100 and beyond suggests that a diverse and balanced community of gut bacteria may be one of the factors linked with healthier ageing.
A healthy gut microbiome helps regulate inflammation, supports the immune system and produces beneficial compounds that help protect the body. However, factors such as a poor diet, chronic stress, lack of exercise and unnecessary antibiotic use can disrupt this delicate balance, potentially affecting metabolic health and increasing inflammation.
Supporting your gut health does not require expensive supplements or complicated diets. One of the simplest approaches is to eat a wide variety of colourful plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains, which provide the fibre needed to nourish beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods such as yoghurt and kefir can also help support a healthy microbiome.
When it comes to gut health, variety is key – feeding your beneficial bacteria with the right foods may be one of the simplest ways to support healthy ageing.
9. Reduce Hidden Risks – Don’t Wait for Symptoms
Many conditions affecting our health as we age develop silently, often years before symptoms appear. A proactive approach means looking beyond standard health checks to understand key markers that provide insight into your future health.
Monitoring important measures such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, inflammation levels and organ health can help identify potential risks early – when lifestyle changes and medical support can make the biggest difference. Screening should become increasingly personalised rather than one-size-fits-all.
Advanced biomarkers such as ApoB and Lp(a) can provide a more detailed picture of cardiovascular risk, while markers such as hs-CRP can indicate levels of inflammation in the body. Regular checks of liver and kidney function also provide valuable information about how well your body is ageing.
The goal is to understand your unique health profile and take action before small problems become bigger ones.
10. Stay Connected – Relationships Are Medicine
Healthy ageing isn’t just about what you eat or how much you exercise – it’s also about the quality of your relationships. In fact, one of the longest-running studies of adult life, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, found that strong social connections are among the most powerful predictors of living a longer, healthier and happier life.
People with meaningful relationships have lower rates of depression, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and dementia. Social connection also helps reduce stress hormones, supports immune function and encourages healthier lifestyle habits, all of which contribute to a longer healthspan.
Whether it’s making time for family and friends, joining a local group, volunteering, or simply having regular conversations with people you care about, investing in your relationships could be one of the most important things you do for your long-term health.
Meaningful human connection is increasingly recognised as one of the most powerful forms of preventive medicine. People who feel connected to others and have a strong sense of purpose recover better from illness, remain more active and consistently live healthier lives.
Every decision you make today influences how you will feel ten, twenty or even thirty years from now. Precision longevity medicine combines advanced diagnostics with lifestyle science to identify health risks early and create personalised strategies that help people remain healthier, stronger and more independent for longer. At the Harley Longevity Club, our goal is simple: to help every individual optimise not only how long they live, but how well they live.
About the expert
Dr Saima Ajaz is a Hepatology Specialist Doctor and translational researcher at King’s College Hospital, a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, and the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Lead for Liver at King’s College Hospital. She is the founder of LIVFIT, the patient support group at King’s College Hospital, and co-founded the UK’s first Patient Advocacy Academy in collaboration with the Global Liver Institute, King’s College Hospital and the British Liver Trust. Alongside her NHS and research roles, Dr Ajaz is the Medical Director of the Harley Street Longevity Club , where she champions a proactive, prevention-focused approach to health, combining advanced diagnostics, lifestyle medicine and personalised longevity strategies to help patients optimise their long-term health and wellbeing. Find out more at harleystreetlongevityclub.com
