Surprising longevity secrets from centenarians : NPR

A new survey of centenarians has revealed that those who reach 100 don’t let grass grow under their feet. Many people have adopted such habits which may seem surprising to the youth.

According to a survey of 100 centenarians by UnitedHealthcare, nearly half do some form of strength training at least once a week to keep muscles strong, 36% participate in stress relief activities like meditation, 67% say they eat a healthy diet, and 42% report walking or hiking on a regular basis. About 30% say they still like to work in their garden.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, a geriatrician and chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare, says the combination of things people over 100 are doing to stay engaged and active is impressive. “It’s not just one thing,” she says. “What we can learn from these people is that it’s a holistic approach to aging,” she says.

A surprising finding is that most centenarians say they feel several decades younger than their actual age, and many do not consider themselves “old.” Many people describe a “gradual realization” of aging, Randall says, noticing small changes over time, such as needing more rest and more time to recover from physical activities. Some of the predicted changes include hearing loss, greater physical aches and pains, loss of independence and giving up driving.

Despite these setbacks, the majority of centenarians surveyed say they enjoy life, with 85% saying they find it easy to laugh and have a sense of humor. One survey participant wrote, “It’s about being able to go out into my garden, sit and read a good book, or knit a new scarf for a grandchild. It’s about being able to do things that make me happy without feeling tired.”

The survey also found that 40% of centenarians regularly play video games, while 27% have asked a question to ChatGPIT (or other AI platform), showing curiosity about new technology. And nearly half say they use social media to follow friends and family.

Another survey participant wrote, “When you’re young, every little problem feels like the end of the world. But when you live longer, you realize that most worries pass.” “You learn to miss the little things and appreciate the little moments of happiness,” pointing to the wisdom that 100 years of life can bring.

Two-thirds of survey participants reported that they remain close with family and friends and have a “positive outlook” despite the trials and difficulties of aging. And the vast majority – four out of five hundred years – report frequent visits or visits at least once a week with people they love, reflecting the importance of social relationships.

“If you look at communities that have the highest levels of social connectedness, you’ll see lower rates of chronic conditions and longer life expectancies,” says Randall.

In his book Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Longer Lives, author Ken Stern, founder of The Longevity Project, documents some of the communities that benefit from strong social ties, from Wayne County, Ky., to West Texas and the Bronx. They found that all of these places have common components—institutions and practices that foster strong relationships between family, neighbors, and friends.

He says the survey results fit with growing evidence that staying connected and having a positive outlook can be beneficial for healthy aging.

“It turns out that people gain a lot of useful knowledge about staying healthy over the course of a century,” Stern says.

There’s a lot to learn from today’s centenarians, says Dr. Jonathan Rosand, co-founder of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Mass General Brigham in Boston. “They’re putting a lot of cognitive energy into taking care of themselves,” he says.

The UnitedHealthcare survey represents a small portion of the estimated 100,000 centenarians in the U.S. And at a time when thousands of baby boomers are turning 65 every day, the population of older adults is expected to grow, with more than 400,000 centenarians by mid-century.

Many factors play a role in longevity, including genes, access to health care, income and luck. But, Rosand says, it’s possible to overcome the odds in favor of healthy aging by paying attention to your daily habits.

“The core of successful aging is the lifestyle choices we make every day,” he says, “everything from what you eat, to how much exercise you get, how you manage stress and what you do to stay connected and find purpose.”

Rosand and his colleagues have published several studies showing how healthy lifestyle habits are associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing dementia and many age-related diseases. And a 2024 Lancet Commission report found that about 45% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors, including exercise, smoking, alcohol use, diet and body weight as well as social isolation.

Rosand and her colleagues have developed a user-friendly tool called the Brain Care Score that you can use to assess your habits. You can calculate your score by completing the questionnaire. The higher your score, the better.

And you can take steps to improve your score by changing or improving some of your habits. Studies show that the earlier in life people adopt healthy habits, the more likely they are to avoid and progress from disease, but the good news is – it’s never too late to start.