\u201cA person\u2019s chronological age can be assessed in years, months and days, but biological age is a reflection of chronological age and things like genetics, lifestyle and environment,\u201d Dr. Satyajit Reddy<\/a>, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona, told HuffPost.<\/p>\n A 27-year-old who smokes, doesn\u2019t exercise and eats poorly may, for example, have a biological age of 32. The opposite is also true: A 49-year-old who sleeps properly and has a healthy diet may have a biological age of 44. <\/p>\n Generally speaking, Reddy explained, there are a set of factors that contribute to one\u2019s biological age that cannot be changed \u2015 think genetics and, in some cases, a person\u2019s environment. <\/p>\n But there are also a slew of modifiable lifestyle aspects that can help minimize one\u2019s biological age. A lot of these are part of the American Heart Association\u2019s checklist.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving high cardiovascular health may slow the pace of biological aging, which may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular and other age-related diseases while extending life,\u201d reads an official statement by the American Heart Association.<\/p>\n What Are The Essential 8 Habits?<\/p>\n So, what behaviors should you prioritize? Here\u2019s what the American Heart Association includes on its checklist<\/a>:<\/p>\n Eat foods that fuel you.<\/p>\n Try to consume mostly whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts and seeds.<\/p>\n \u201cI advise people to moderate the intake of processed foods, especially processed carbs and sugars,\u201d Reddy said. \u201cProcessed foods are often designed for overindulgence and cravings. Sugar is found in so many processed food products in our grocery stores and even in foods at restaurants, that we often need to be mindful and vigilant to avoid excessive consumption.\u201d <\/p>\n More specifically, the cardiologist suggested paying attention to how you feel after you consume a meal. \u201cIf, within one to two hours, you feel hungry again or tired, then it probably was not an optimal [meal],\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Move your body.<\/p>\n The American Heart Association differentiates between adults and children when it comes to exercise. Adults should opt for 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Kids, on the other hand, should move around for about 60 minutes a day, including structured activities and regular play. <\/p>\n According to Reddy, scheduled exercise like going to the gym is \u201can excellent way to maintain health,\u201d but a lot of people do feel anxiety surrounding the practice, especially if they lack the time to partake regularly. <\/p>\n His advice? Do what you can. <\/p>\n \u201cFinding a physical activity that you enjoy and look forward to is so important for sustainability,\u201d he said. \u201cThings like dance exercise and yoga, as free videos are easily found on YouTube, walking while listening to a podcast, and more.\u201d <\/p>\n Overall, Reddy suggested, you should try not to be sedentary on a day-to-day basis, \u201cwhether that means parking further from the store entrance, or avoiding the elevator and taking stairs, or going for walks with your kids instead of watching a TV show, or setting an hourly timer at work to move from your workstation.\u201d<\/p>\n Quit tobacco if you use it.<\/p>\n Smoking is known to contribute to poor cardiovascular health, but according to the American Heart Association, secondhand smoke and vaping can be incredibly dangerous as well. \u201cTraditional\u201d cigarettes aren\u2019t the only issue. <\/p>\n \u201cIn modern America, we\u2019ve been led to believe that vaping is better than smoking, and that\u2019s actually not true,\u201d Dr. Leslie Cho<\/a>, the section head of preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, told HuffPost<\/a> last year, listing vaping-related health issues that include lung problems, cancer and addiction to nicotine.<\/p>\n Get healthy sleep.<\/p>\n Conversations about how many hours of sleep people should get nightly have been going on for decades now.<\/p>\n The American Heart Association claims that adults should aim for an average of between seven to nine hours of sleep a night because \u201ctoo little or too much sleep is associated with heart disease, studies show.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201c<\/p>\n Our bodies adapt to what we repeatedly do and are exposed to every day. Improving habits and health parameters lead to healthier bodies over a lifetime.<\/p>\n – Dr. Satyajit Reddy, cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona<\/p>\n Manage weight.<\/p>\n Experts and the American Heart Association also note that maintaining a proper weight for your specific body type can help you increase your longevity and improve your biological age. This doesn\u2019t mean extreme dieting and fixating on how your body looks \u2015 this approach is often the opposite of good health. Instead, focus on eating nourishing foods and moving your body in a way that feels good. Every body is different.<\/p>\n Control cholesterol.<\/p>\n High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, also known as bad cholesterol) have been linked with heart disease, strokes and more, which is why it\u2019s important to monitor your numbers at least once a year (a history of high cholesterol and genetics play a role in how often you should be getting a blood test). <\/p>\n![\"Regardless](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/654bc1db230000e271ea57e5.jpeg\")
Regardless of your chronological age, there are certain lifestyle habits that can keep you feeling young.<\/p>\n
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