15 Longevity Habits People in Their 90s Have in Common

We often think living to 90 is just a genetic lottery and you might look at a healthy grandparent and think they were simply born lucky.

Research from 2024 and 2025 tells a different story and reveals that lifestyle drives nearly 90% of longevity so your daily choices matter much more than your DNA.

The problem is that most people are confused because they are bombarded with ads for expensive biohacks and complex routines.

We do not need more complicated theories but rather we need to look at the Blue Zones and recent findings like the Mugello Study to see what actually works.

1. Practice Hara Hachi Bu

In a world of huge meals the Okinawans have a secret mantra called Hara Hachi Bu which means they stop eating when their stomach is roughly 80% full.

It is important because there is a lag time of about 20 minutes between your stomach and your brain so eating until you feel full usually means you have overeaten.

Research on caloric restriction shows that eating slightly less reduces metabolic stress on the body and effectively slows down the aging process.

It is not about starving yourself but rather it is about mindful eating and simply stopping before you feel heavy or tired.

• Put your fork down between every single bite to slow down
• Stop eating when you no longer feel hungry instead of when you are full
• Wait twenty minutes before going back for seconds
• Focus on mindful eating to improve weight management

2. Adopt a Plant Slant Diet

Diet fuels the body and the longest lived people focus heavily on plants with 95% of their daily intake coming from vegetables and beans.

Beans are the true superfood of longevity whether it is fava beans in Sardinia or black beans in Costa Rica and these populations eat at least a cup every day.

Meat is not the main course but is used as a condiment or a special treat that is eaten only a few times a month. This plant based diet provides fiber and antioxidants that fight disease and you do not have to go fully vegan to see the benefits.

• Swap the beef in your next meal for black beans or lentils
• Aim for one completely meat free day this week
• Eat a cup of beans daily for high fiber intake
• Use meat only for flavor rather than as the main portion

3. Prioritize Somatic Stress Relief

Chronic stress creates inflammation which is the root of most age related diseases and while healthy 90 year olds experience stress they do not hold onto it.

In 2025 we see a rise in somatic wellness which focuses on physically releasing tension stored in the body through movement or rituals.

Okinawans take a moment to remember their ancestors every day and Sardinians do happy hour to reset their nervous system.

If you stay in a state of high alert your cortisol levels stay high and this damages your brain and heart over time so you must find a way to let go.

• Try shaking your hands and legs for 60 seconds to release tension
• Take a short nap or moment of silence daily
• Practice deep breathing to lower cortisol levels
• Engage in daily rituals to signal safety to your body

4. Build a Moai Safety Net

Loneliness is dangerous and studies show that isolation carries the same death risk as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

In Okinawa people form a Moai which is a group of five friends that commit to supporting each other for life emotionally and financially.

It is very different from having passive friends on social media because you need real and face to face social health. You need people you can call on a bad day and a tribe that checks on you as this safety net lowers stress and gives you a sense of belonging.

• Set up a recurring weekly walk or coffee date with a friend
• Join a local community group to build new connections
• Prioritize face to face time over digital communication
• Commit to a small circle of friends for emotional support

5. Move Naturally Every 20 Minutes

We often think exercise means going to the gym for an hour but if you sit at a desk for the other eight hours you are still living a sedentary lifestyle.

The world’s longest lived people do not run marathons but instead they garden and walk to the store and do housework. This is called NEAT or Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis and their environments nudge them into movement every 10 to 20 minutes.

This constant and low level natural movement keeps their metabolism humming and their joints loose which is much better for you than one intense burst of exercise.

• Create a movement trigger like standing up during phone calls
• Walk to do errands instead of driving whenever possible
• Do gardening or housework to keep your body active
• Avoid sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time

6. Find Your Ikigai Purpose

You need a strong reason to get out of bed in the morning and in Japan this concept is called Ikigai. Having a strong sense of purpose can add up to seven years to your life expectancy and protect your mental health.

Retirement can actually be a dangerous time for health if you lose your job title and do not replace it with a new purpose like volunteering or hobbies.

Purpose protects the brain and studies link a strong sense of purpose with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and better overall resilience.

• Write down three things that make you happy to be alive
• Volunteer for a cause you care about
• Learn a new hobby that excites you
• Focus on how you can help others daily

7. Optimize Circadian Health

Sleep is when your body repairs itself and getting 7 to 8 hours allows for critical DNA repair that keeps you young. The 2025 trend of sleepmaxxing focuses on your circadian rhythm which means waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day.

Healthy 90 year olds also get sunlight early in the morning which tells their body it is time to be alert and sets them up for better sleep at night.

Irregular sleep confuses your metabolism and weakens your immune system so sleep optimization is one of the most powerful tools for anti aging.

• Pick a wake up time and stick to it every single day
• Get morning sunlight within an hour of waking up
• Avoid bright lights late at night
• Aim for 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep

8. Nurture Your Gut Microbiome

Your gut is often called your second brain because the bacteria in your digestive system control your immunity and even your mood.

The longest lived people have incredibly diverse microbiomes because they eat fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt. The goal for 2025 is to eat 30 different plants per week to feed these good bacteria and keep the gut lining strong.

A healthy gut lowers inflammation throughout the whole body and helps you absorb nutrients better so ignoring your gut health means ignoring your immune system.

• Eat a tablespoon of sauerkraut or kimchi daily
• Aim to eat 30 different plant foods each week
• Include yogurt or other probiotics in your diet
• Avoid processed foods that damage gut bacteria

9. Moderate Your Vice Intake

You do not have to be a monk to live a long life but you have to be careful and practice mindful drinking.

In places like Sardinia they drink wine rich in antioxidants but they drink it socially with food and never alone to numb feelings.

Non smokers are twice as likely to reach age 90 as smokers so avoiding tobacco is non negotiable for longevity. If you drink alcohol you should keep it to one or two glasses maximum and make it a social occasion rather than a nightly coping mechanism.

• Drink a full glass of water between every alcoholic drink
• Limit alcohol to social occasions with food
• Avoid smoking completely to protect your lungs
• Practice mindful drinking rather than habit drinking

10. Engage in Creative Aging

Your brain wants to learn and even at 90 your brain can create new connections through a process called neuroplasticity.

Passive entertainment like watching TV does not help so you must engage in creative aging that requires real effort.

The healthiest seniors learn new languages or pick up instruments or play complex games to build cognitive reserve. The struggle of learning something hard is exactly what keeps your brain health strong and acts as a buffer against dementia.

• Download a language app and learn new words daily
• Pick up a musical instrument or learn to paint
• Play complex strategy games like chess or bridge
• Challenge your brain with new skills regularly

11. Get Daily Smart Sun Exposure

We have been taught to fear the sun but complete avoidance is also risky because your body needs sunlight to produce Vitamin D.

Centenarians spend time outside almost every day to get about 15 minutes of sun exposure which regulates mood and immune function. Being outdoors also lowers stress and the fresh air is vital for the human spirit and mental clarity.

You should practice smart and moderate exposure rather than baking in the sun for hours to avoid damage while gaining benefits.

• Spend 15 minutes outside each morning
• Expose your arms or legs to the sun safely
• Combine sun exposure with a daily walk
• Use sun protection if staying out longer than 15 minutes

12. Prioritize Functional Mobility

Muscle mass is important but functional mobility is what keeps you independent and able to care for yourself. Grip strength and balance are two of the strongest predictors of how long you will live because they show your overall frailty level.

Healthy 90 year olds do a lot of squatting and bending in their daily lives which prevents falls that are a major cause of decline. You want a body that works so you can tie your shoes and carry your groceries without needing help from others.

• Practice getting up from the floor without using hands
• Test your balance by standing on one foot daily
• Improve grip strength by carrying groceries or weights
• Squat regularly to keep your hips and legs strong

13. Digital Detox and Screen Boundaries

This is a modern addition for 2025 but it is vital because the constant blue light from screens ages your eyes and disrupts your sleep.

The stress of doom scrolling keeps your body in fight or flight mode which raises cortisol and damages your health.

To age well today you need digital wellness boundaries because centenarians in the past did not have smartphones to distract them. Your brain needs silence and a break from the constant flow of information to rest and reset for mental clarity.

• Turn off all screens one hour before bed
• Replace scrolling with reading a physical book
• Set specific times to check the news
• Create phone free zones in your home

14. Know Your Numbers

We have better tools in 2025 than ever before and you should use them to catch problems before they become disasters.

Preventative health means knowing your blood pressure and checking your cholesterol and using wearables to track heart rate variability.

Denial kills and the longest lived people do not ignore symptoms but rather they address them immediately. Monitoring your health metrics gives you an early warning system so you can make changes before you get sick.

• Check your blood pressure regularly at home or a pharmacy
• Use a wearable device to track health trends
• Schedule annual check ups with your doctor
• Listen to your body and address new symptoms early

15. Embrace Intermittent Fasting

Our bodies were not designed to digest food all day and night so they need a break to clean house. This cleaning process is called autophagy and it is when your cells repair themselves and remove waste to function better.

Intermittent fasting or time restricted eating helps trigger this by keeping all meals within an 8 to 10 hour window. This gives your body a long rest period every night which improves insulin sensitivity and helps with weight control.

• Eat all your meals within a 10 hour window
• Finish your last meal at least 3 hours before bed
• Use an app to track your fasting hours
• Allow your body to rest and repair overnight