10 Secrets for living a healthy, long life (maybe even to 100+)

The secrets to living to 100 are more straightforward than you might think. You’ll find centenarians who swear by a Dr. Pepper every day or some other unique food or drink combination. Yet overall healthy habits, like eating right and getting regular physical activity, can go a long way toward longevity.

Plus, the odds are in your favor now. In 2024, centenarians are only 0.03% of the U.S. population, according to the Pew Research Center. Yet that’s expected to climb to 0.1% by 2054. Those are still small numbers, but look at it another way: It’s a quadruple growth projection of the centenarian population.

The U.S. is one of five nations around the world with the largest number of people living to age 100 and beyond, ranking in second place after Japan. The next three nations are China, India and Thailand.

“Living to 100 sounds appealing because in many cases it reflects the hope of having more time to experience life, pursue passions and enjoy time with loved ones,” says Dr. JoAnn E. Manson, a physician with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, chief of the division of preventive medicine at Harvard Medical School and a professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

Yet with that comes the expectation of good health and a high quality of life.

“Without good health, longevity is not as desirable,” she says.

10 Tips to Reach 100

So, just what does it take to live to 100? Although there are no guarantees, you can certainly give longevity a better shot with the following tips from experts and from two centenarians themselves.
 

1. Be social

Mildred Kirschenbaum, of Boca Raton, Florida, is turning 101 in late August 2024. She says that taking part in her community’s club is her “salvation” as it keeps her social.

“I play mahjongg and canasta and bridge, and that keeps me busy. We also have our own restaurant and bar. Even if I go there alone, before I know it, this one comes down and that one comes down, and we have a table full. I’m not lacking for a social life, and I think that’s what keeps me young,” she says.

Studies have shown that people with fulfilling social lives and a wide variety of social connections have better memory and cognitive skills and they remain physically healthy. Even if you’re an introvert and don’t enjoy large social gatherings, it’s beneficial to have a few good friends that you can rely on. It’s even better if your friends are involved in something you like but are slightly different from you in some ways.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a loner, but everybody needs somebody,” says Ben Berry, who will turn 101 in September 2024. “It could be one or two buddies who you can learn from, and they can learn from you.”

Berry lives in the Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley retirement community in Philadelphia and stays socially active as part of a local church group.

2. Manage stress

Occasional stress is fine, even healthy, but the key is to find ways to manage that stress. This is particularly important because chronic stress can negatively affect every system in your body and can contribute to health issues like depression, heart disease and cognitive decline, Manson says.

A 2023 study, for instance, showed that people’s “biological age” increased dramatically when they were under high amounts of stress. The good news is that stress reduction can help your biological age decrease again, which means that short periods of stress don’t have to dramatically alter your health.

Everyone’s stress-busting approach is a little different. That could mean time for yourself, traveling, playing games with your kids, getting some exercise or doing whatever gets you in a better place. Keep trying different stress management approaches until you find what sticks.

Being socially active and managing stress can go hand-in-hand. Those around you can help you through stressful times, provide comforting advice and help you stick to those stress-reducing routines.

3. Get regular physical activity

For most people, the federal recommendation is 150 minutes of moderate heart-pumping activity a week, which you could break down into 30 minutes, five times a week. Find movement that you enjoy, be it walking, dancing or a new class at the gym. Try to incorporate as much movement as you can throughout the day.

Additionally, strength training can be beneficial for older adults to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and help increase bone strength.

People who live in “blue zones” – areas of the world with greater longevity – tend to move a lot naturally by walking, gardening and house chores. Those may be options for you as well, but also consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator when possible or parking a little farther away from stores to keep moving.

4. Eat healthy and fresh foods as often as you can

Eating healthy is often a challenge with so many processed food choices around. Plus, the availability of nutritious foods in certain communities can make this one harder. Yet as much as you can, aim for fruits and vegetables, lean meat and dairy, whole grains and healthy fats. Blue zones research has found longevity benefits from food choices like:

Beans

Vegetables (add them to soups and salads)

Plant-based foods

Less meat and dairy products

Although Berry doesn’t credit his longevity to any specific diet plan, he does say that eating fresh vegetables when he was younger, thanks to having a garden, helped give him a foundation in good nutrition.
Supplementation with vitamin D, omega- 3 fatty acids and a multivitamin may help stave off cancer deaths, coronary disease and memory loss, says Manson, who is involved with research related to multivitamins and cocoa extract. Always check with your health care provider to make sure that using a supplement is right for your health needs.

5. Get enough sleep

Adults of any age generally need seven to nine hours of sleep nightly. As you get older, not getting enough sleep can increase your risk for falls, make you more forgetful and contribute to feeling irritated or even depressed, according to the National Institute on Aging. You may need to try different techniques for sleeping better, from changing the temperature to natural sleep aids.

A 2010 review published in the journal Sleep found that consistently sleeping too little (under 6 hours) or too much (more than 9 hours) was associated with a greater risk for death compared with those sleeping six to eight hours each night.

6. Have a good attitude

This can range from staying positive to being open to different experiences. Kirschenbaum says she hears people in their 70s complain that flying to see their kids and grandkids is too much work.

“Give me a break,” she says. “You can get wheelchair at the airport, which I do. They’ll transport you and take you right to the gate.”

You can apply that can-do attitude to other aspects of life and accept help when it’s offered. The experiences you’ll have are worth accepting a little bit of assistance.

7. Have your own life

Having your own life activities and plans will keep you from relying too heavily on your kids or other people, Kirschenbaum says. That can benefit both you and your adult children. Instead of complaining that the kids don’t call, assume that means they’re staying busy. Stay busy yourself, she suggests.

Many senior care facilities or assisted living communities have activities and groups that can be enriching and help introduce you to a social support network. From book clubs to lawn bowling and garden clubs, it’s vital to get involved. Nowadays, there are even virtual activities for seniors, including online yoga classes, trivia competitions and more.

8. Prioritize

Focus on work, your home life and your responsibilities; don’t get drawn to things that may harm you in the long run.

“Know what’s going on and be aware of it, but don’t be involved in it,” says Berry, who is also one of the last known surviving servicemen from World War II’s Battle of the Bulge.

Berry stayed busy in life raising four children with his wife and running his own business for 63 years. That helped him stay on track instead of getting involved with the wrong crowd or using drugs, he says. Having priorities that support your social, emotional and physical health can go a long way toward helping you live to 100.

9. Find ways to be involved with your community

A strong sense of community contributes to longer lives in the blue zones, but it’s also something that’s worked for both Kirschenbaum and Berry. Kirschenbaum is now involved in an even larger community as she is part of an Instagram account with her daughter that has more than 114,000 followers.

Community boards, groups, and clubs can be great ways to stay connected. Local libraries can be a great place to start. Many community colleges also offer classes for older adults. Don’t forget to include feeding your spiritual needs too.

10. Prioritize taking care of yourself

Prioritizing self-care doesn’t mean daily bubble baths (though it could mean that if you enjoy them). Instead, it refers to more practical matters, like getting regular medical and dental checkups.

You’d be surprised at how much your dental health can affect your overall health. A 2011 study of more than 5,600 older adults published in the Journal of Aging Research found that daily toothbrushing and flossing as well as regular dental appointments were associated with longevity.

You should also wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds each time and get any recommended vaccines to help ward off serious illness.

Sources

The U.S. News Health team delivers accurate information about health, nutrition and fitness, as well as in-depth medical condition guides. All of our stories rely on multiple, independent sources and experts in the field, such as medical doctors and licensed nutritionists. To learn more about how we keep our content accurate and trustworthy, read our editorial guidelines.

JoAnn E. Manson, MD, MPH, DrPH

Manson is a physician with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, chief of the division of preventive medicine at Harvard Medical School and a professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.