{"id":402708,"date":"2026-01-12T09:35:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T09:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/402708\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T09:35:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T09:35:23","slug":"at-67-meryl-streep-was-swimming-a-mile-a-day-here-are-the-surprising-benefits-for-healthy-ageing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/402708\/","title":{"rendered":"At 67, Meryl Streep was swimming a mile a day \u2014 here are the surprising benefits for healthy ageing"},"content":{"rendered":"

At 67, Meryl Streep revealed she was swimming a mile a day \u2013 and not in pursuit of a particular physique, but to \u2018keep her health\u2019. <\/p>\n

Speaking to HELLO! Magazine, she said: \u2018I do try to stay healthy. Sometimes I let myself fall apart, but generally I try to swim a mile every day, because I like the feeling and it gets me into my body. I\u2019m quite conscious of keeping my health, because it doesn\u2019t last forever and we\u2019re all of us lucky as long as we do have it. I try to remember that.\u2019 <\/p>\n

In another interview with The Guardian<\/a>, she added that she aims for \u201955 laps\u2019, sharing that the pool tends to be where she does a lot of her thinking. <\/p>\n

But the benefits of swimming \u2013 especially Streep\u2019s mile-a-day habit \u2013 for ageing well go far beyond mental health. Here are six big advantages for longevity, with studies to prove it. <\/p>\n

\"cannes,Stephane Cardinale – Corbis\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Meryl Streep at Cannes Film Festival in 2024<\/p>\n

1. Swimming improves cardiovascular endurance: <\/p>\n

Research<\/a> on adults 60-70 years old showed that after 16 weeks, participants who swam regularly showed significant improvements in cardio health (measured by a 6-minute walk test). Strong heart and lung function supports long-term independence and reduces risks tied to ageing, like cardiometabolic decline and poor mobility. <\/p>\n

2. It reduces joint stress while improving fitness: <\/p>\n

Several studies on swimming show that water supports up to 90% of your body weight, lowering joint loading and pain, which is particularly beneficial for people with arthritis or mobility \u2013 one study<\/a> on people with osteoarthritis showed that swimming significantly reduced joint pain and stiffness. Lower-impact exercise like swimming is a game-changer not just for protecting joints and reducing pain, but for maintaining any activity level when other weight-bearing exercise isn\u2019t comfortable (or possible). <\/p>\n

3. It helps maintain muscle: <\/p>\n

Studies<\/a> prove that swimming improves muscular strength and physical performance in older adults. This is particularly important with age, since the process of sarcopenia means we lose 3-5% of muscle mass per decade after 30, which has a big impact on mobility and functional independence.<\/p>\n

4. It promotes brain health: <\/p>\n

Research<\/a> shows swimming increases blood flow to the brain, helping support neural pathways and neurotransmitters linked to mood and mental clarity. Over time, this can help sharpen cognitive function and protect against the mental decline which can occur with age, like loss of memory or slowed decision-making. <\/p>\n

5. Swimming enhances flexibility and mobility: <\/p>\n

Regular swimming is proven to improve your joint range of motion, as water supports your body as you move through full ranges of motion. The payoff is practical: it can help reduce fall risk which increases with age, and makes everyday functional movement \u2013 like bending over, reaching upwards and walking \u2013 easier and safer. <\/p>\n

6. Swimming reduces the risk of chronic health diseases: <\/p>\n

Swimming has been associated<\/a> with improvements in metabolic function, insulin sensitivity, healthier cholesterol levels and more stable blood pressure. This can lower the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and hypertension, and even a few laps a few times a week can make a measurable difference. <\/p>\n

For Streep, the goal has never been aesthetic \u2013 in 2014, she said<\/a>: \u2018For young women, I would say, don\u2019t worry so much about your weight. Girls spend way too much time thinking about that, and there are better things.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Now 76 and thriving (bookmark 30th April for the Devil Wears Prada 2 release date, where Streep features alongside co-star Anne Hathaway), Streep is proof that ageing well isn\u2019t about doing more \u2013 it\u2019s about choosing movement that works with your body, not against it. Swimming is a rare sweet spot: demanding enough to pay off, gentle enough to sustain.<\/p>\n

Losing fat while building muscle is the goal for many fitness fans \u2013 and while it isn\u2019t easy, it is possible, says FIIT personal trainer and coach Laura Hoggins<\/a>. In this four-week plan \u2013 created exclusively for Women\u2019s Health COLLECTIVE members \u2013 you\u2019ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to improve body composition in 2026.<\/p>\n

Ready to build and burn? Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to the WH app, find the plan and start training today.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/p>\n

\"wh<\/a>\"Headshot<\/p>\n

\u00a0As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. She secured her first role at Look Magazine, where her obsession with fitness began and she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!. Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red.Now, she oversees all fitness content across womenshealthmag.com.uk<\/a> and the print magazine, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, where we showcase the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise. She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks \u2013 all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how.Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram. \u00a0<\/p>\n