Longevity has officially gone mainstream. Everywhere you look, there’s another gadget, app, or supplement promising to add a decade to your life. You could spend a small fortune chasing biohacks—or you could do what actual longevity doctors do and live longer without spending a dime.
Hone Health surveyed physicians specializing in hormones, weight loss, sports medicine, and longevity about what they personally do to stay healthy. Turns out the best longevity tools aren’t high-tech—they’re the boring, consistent habits you can repeat most days.
“The unsexy truth is that most of what works isn’t high-tech or patentable,” one physician wrote. “The future of longevity medicine isn’t in labs; it’s in gyms, kitchens, and communities.”
Here’s what they swear by.
1. Walk More (Most Days)
Ask any longevity doctor how to live longer and you’ll get some version of “move more.” Daily movement—whether it’s a brisk walk, a stretch break between tasks, or light strength work—is the foundation of nearly every doctor’s routine for improving healthspan.
One hundred percent of the doctors surveyed believe in the longevity power of movement. Here’s what they personally do—and recommend to their patients:
97 percent: strength-training
82 percent: aerobic activity
38 percent: HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
33 percent: mobility and flexibility exercises
The science backs them up. Large studies show that simply walking more cuts your risk of dying from almost everything. 1 Hitting around 7,000 steps a few days a week, compared to 2,000, delivers measurable protection, including:
Basically, the more you move, the better you age—and there’s no “too much walking” point in sight.2
2. Spend Time in Nature
Many longevity doctors make time outdoors non-negotiable—whether that’s a 20-minute walk, sitting near water, or “grounding” barefoot on the grass.
“There’s a tremendous amount of evidence for nature-based therapies and gardening for mental health and well-being,” noted one respondent, “yet these are not routinely recommended by health care providers.”
People who live near trees or water have lower risks of dying from heart disease and other causes. 3 For example, one review of more than eight million Europeans showed that the greener your neighborhood, the lower your risk of early death. 4 Another 2024 study estimated that greening cities could prevent 28,000 deaths a year. 5
Nature literally calms your nervous system—lowering cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure in measurable ways. Step outside, breathe, and touch something that’s not your phone.
3. Sleep Like It’s Your Job
When it comes to longevity, sleep isn’t optional—it’s the baseline. When your sleep is off, your metabolism takes a hit.6 Controlled lab studies show that circadian misalignment—when you stay up late or shift your schedule—reduces insulin sensitivity, raises blood pressure, and dials up inflammation, the biological fuel for aging and chronic disease. 7
Even one week of mild sleep disruption can throw off hunger hormones and blood sugar regulation. 8
Consistent, high-quality sleep is the ultimate recovery protocol, which may be why nearly 20 percent of the physicians surveyed say they’re making it a priority in 2026. Sleep balances hormones, syncs your body clock, and gives your brain time to clean out waste—literally clearing the path for better memory, focus, and long-term brain health.
4. Get Morning Light; Dim Your Night
Surveyed physicians emphasize the power of light—shine it early, dim it later. “Human bodies are solar-powered batteries that rely on sun exposure,” one physician said. Morning sunlight anchors your circadian rhythm, improving metabolism, mood, and hormone balance. A 2024 analysis of 13 million hours of light-sensor data found that people who got more morning light had a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 9 A 2025 study linked strong morning light to healthier cholesterol and triglyceride profiles. 10
At night, light11 is metabolic sabotage. Even modest exposure raises heart rate, disrupts glucose metabolism, and triggers inflammation. Over time, disrupting your circadian rhythm with artificial light after dark has been tied to higher rates of heart and metabolic disease.12
Small shifts help: Head outdoors shortly after waking, and dim evening lighting to keep your body clock running smoothly.
5. Keep a Lid on Stress
“Stress management” isn’t soft science—it’s physiology. And nearly 90 percent of the doctors surveyed believe it’s critical to living longer. They use mindfulness, meditation, and slow breathing not because it’s trendy but because it works, causing measurable shifts in the body that support long-term health.
A 2023 clinical trial found that adults with high blood pressure who practiced mindfulness-based stress reduction for eight weeks lowered their systolic BP compared to usual care. 13 The American Heart Association reports that regular meditation modestly reduces blood pressure and improves heart-rate variability. 14 Even paced breathing has a measurable impact—it can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
You don’t need a guru or gear—just your lungs and a few quiet minutes can nudge your nervous system from fight-or-flight into rest-and-repair.
6. Build Real-World Connections
Modern life is practically engineered for loneliness—remote work, endless screens, “friends” you never see. The doctors surveyed see connection as medicine, with more than 10 percent pledging to do less scrolling and more socializing in the new year.
Spending time with friends, family, or community groups helps regulate stress hormones, supports mental health, and strengthens immune resilience, all of which affect long-term health outcomes.
A meta-analysis of more than 300,000 people found that those with strong relationships had a 50 percent higher chance of survival. 15 A 2023 update confirmed that loneliness is as dangerous as smoking or obesity. 16
Texting doesn’t count. Grab coffee, walk with a friend, volunteer, show up. Your body treats connection like therapy it can measure. And small, consistent interactions build meaningful benefits over time.
7. Fast from Dinner to Breakfast
Forget complicated fasting apps and “biohacker” protocols. Most longevity physicians keep it simple with circadian rhythm fasting: Finish dinner early, then eat breakfast 12 hours later. This routine, practiced by more than 13 percent of physicians surveyed, can support circadian rhythms, improve insulin sensitivity, and benefit cardiovascular health.
A 2024 analysis found that time-restricted eating improves weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol even without cutting calories. 17 In a 2022 clinical trial, adults with type 2 diabetes who ate within a 10-hour window saw lower HbA1c and blood pressure in 12 weeks. 18 Closing the kitchen for 12 hours—say, 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.—is enough to let your body rest, rebalance glucose, and shift into nighttime repair mode.
8. Make Space for Faith
Many of the doctors surveyed mentioned prayer, reflection, or quiet time as a critical part of their longevity protocol.
A long-term analysis from the Nurses’ Health Study found that women who attended religious services more than once a week had a 33 percent lower risk of death over 16 years. 19 A 2022 review of hundreds of studies found that spirituality—whether prayer, meditation, or gratitude—is consistently linked to better mental health, lower inflammation, and longer survival. 20 You don’t need religion to get the benefits—any practice that helps you pause, reflect, or feel connected may deliver the daily dose of spirituality that improves overall health.
Expand referencesReferences
Del Pozo Cruz, Borja (2022) Prospective Associations of Daily Step Counts and Intensity With Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality and All-Cause Mortality
Ding, Melody, et al. (2025) Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis
Hajna, Samantha et al. (2023) Associations between residential greenspace exposure and mortality in 4 645 581 adults living in London, UK: a longitudinal study
David Rojas-Rueda, et al. (2019) Green spaces and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies
Valerio Giannico, Orazio (2024) The mortality impacts of greening Italy
Sondrup, Nina, et al. (2022) Effects of sleep manipulation on markers of insulin sensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Sondrup, Nina, et al. (2022) Effects of sleep manipulation on markers of insulin sensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Sondrup, Nina, et al. (2022) Effects of sleep manipulation on markers of insulin sensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Windred, Daniel P., et al. (2023) Personal light exposure patterns and incidence of type 2 diabetes: analysis of 13 million hours of light sensor data and 670,000 person-years of prospective observation
Gubin, Dennis et al. (2023) Timing and Amplitude of Light Exposure, Not Photoperiod, Predict Blood Lipids in Arctic Residents: A Circadian Light Hypothesis
Mason, Ivy C. et al. (2023) Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function
Davis, Lourdes K., et al (2023) Health Effects of Disrupted Circadian Rhythms by Artificial Light at Night
Garg, Piyush, et al. (2023) Effect of breathing exercises on blood pressure and heart rate: A systematic review and meta-analysis
American Heart Association, Hypertension
Holt-Lunstad, Julianne (2010) Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review
Yu, Bin (2023) Social disconnection and mortality: new evidence for old truths
Hiu, Yiu Lee (2024) Meal Timing and Anthropometric and Metabolic Outcomes
Wilkinson, Michael J., et al (2023) Ten-Hour Time-Restricted Eating Reduces Weight, Blood Pressure, and Atherogenic Lipids in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Li, Shanshan, et al. (2016) Association of Religious Service Attendance With Mortality Among Women
Lucchetti, Giancarlo, et al. (2021) Spirituality, religiousness, and mental health: A review of the current scientific evidence
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The Edge upholds the highest standards of health journalism. We source research from peer-reviewed medical journals, top government agencies, leading academic institutions, and respected advocacy groups. We also go beyond the research, interviewing top experts in their fields to bring you the most informed insights. Every article is rigorously reviewed by medical experts to ensure accuracy. Contact us at support@honehealth.com if you see an error.
About the author
Aviva, Hone’s Executive Editor, is an award-winning health-science journalist and former executive editor of Psychology Today, Reader’s Digest, and The Healthy. She has written for national print and digital publications including Health, Prevention, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Shape, Fitness, SELF, New York Magazine, and more.