U.S. News surveyed experts on the top habits, mistakes and trends that shape healthy aging and how we age. Here are the results of that survey.

Key Takeaways

  • While Americans are living longer, experts emphasize that small daily habits – like exercise, diet and sleep – collectively form the foundation for living longer, healthier lives.
  • In a 2025 U.S. News survey on healthy aging, responses from 53 health experts showed that exercise and diet are the cornerstones of aging well, with nearly half of experts prioritizing physical activity. A healthy, nutrient-rich diet and quality sleep were also ranked as top drivers of longevity.
  • Experts identified lack of exercise, smoking and poor sleep hygiene as the most damaging behaviors that make people age faster. Avoiding these mistakes is just as important as building healthy habits for long-term well-being.
  • Insights around how social connection, lean muscle mass and gut health influence healthy aging are among the top areas of interest, according to experts. AI tools, wearable devices and GLP-1 medications were also noted as next major trends in longevity.
  • While these innovations may complement lifestyle choices, experts stress that simple daily behaviors – regular exercise, eating healthfully and getting enough rest – remain the most powerful drivers of lifespan and healthspan.

More Americans are living well into their golden years compared to years before – thanks to medical advancements and improvements in health care.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent data from 2023, the current life expectancy of both men and women rose to 78.4 years. However, as average life expectancy continues to increase, that doesn’t mean those golden years are healthy ones.

“Here in the (United) States, we’re living longer in sickness – not in health,” says Dr. Michael Greger, a physician, founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and founder of NutritionFacts.org.

To better understand the best healthy aging strategies, U.S. News recently surveyed 53 members of the

U.S. News Medical Review Board and Best Diets Panel. These health experts – including medical doctors, registered dietitians, fitness experts and pharmacists – shared their thoughts on habits, factors and trends that affect how well – or poorly – we age.

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U.S. News Healthy Aging Survey 2025

Health experts agree: Healthy aging is more than just adding years to life – it’s about adding life to years.

Healthy aging “is about the preservation of optimal vitality for an optimal span – a bounty of years in life (longevity) and life in years (vitality),” says Dr. David Katz, a specialist in internal medicine, preventive medicine/public health and lifestyle medicine, and founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “Aging is inevitable, undeniable and a native aspect of all biology. But we maximize the chance of more vital years by taking good care of ourselves.”

Both Katz and Greger (quoted above) participated in the healthy aging survey.

Top Daily Habits Experts Follow for Healthy Aging

When asked about the daily practices they follow to best support healthy aging, survey participants said their top priorities were:

  • Physical activity: 49%
  • Healthy diet: 43%
  • Mind-body connection (quality sleep, stress management, mindfulness): 11%

Physical activity

Nearly half (49%) of experts pointed to physical activity as the top lifestyle habit. Regular physical activity offers a wide range of both physical and mental health benefits, including:

  • Protecting against chronic diseases. As you age, you have an increased risk of developing certain chronic diseases, like dementia, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, arthritis and cancer. However, studies show regular exercise and physical activity can reduce those risks.
  • Maintaining muscle mass. Exercising regularly, particularly strength training, helps you build muscle to fight off age-related muscle loss, a condition known as sarcopenia, and protect you from falls.
  • Boosting cognitive function. Exercise has been shown to boost cognitive function by increasing blood flow to the brain, stimulating new brain cell production and reducing inflammation and stress that can impair brain function and memory.

Healthy diet

A healthy diet (43%) was the second top healthy aging habit, which reinforces the integral role nutrition plays in longevity and disease prevention.

Experts agree that eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can support healthy aging by providing essential nutrients that protect cells from damage, reduce inflammation and prevent chronic diseases often associated with aging.

A healthy diet is one rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, while limiting processed foods, excessive sugar and unhealthy fats. Some of the best superfoods for healthy aging include dark leafy greens, berries, salmon, Greek yogurt and eggs.

Mind-body connection

The third top daily habit experts follow is nurturing the mind-body connection (11%), which includes getting quality sleep, managing stress and practicing mindfulness.

Studies have shown that poor sleep, chronic stress and unmanaged anxiety can weaken the immune system, increase inflammation and raise the risk of chronic disease – all of which can increase your risk of premature aging and death.

On the other hand, practicing good sleep hygiene to get sufficient rest, stress management and mindfulness can help support your mental well-being, which not only enhances your quality of life but also keeps your body and mind healthy to support your longevity.