You might feel like you’re hitting your stride in your 40s and 50s — you’ve established a career, maybe you’re raising a family and you’re finally feeling like you know who you are.
But physically, this is also when your body starts sending you signals that you can’t ignore quite as easily as you once did. Your energy levels might be lagging, your joints may ache after a workout, and the number on that scale may be creeping stubbornly upward.
But midlife also offers a critical window of opportunity when it comes to health habits. The choices you make in your 40s and 50s have an outsized impact on your quality of life in your 60s, 70s and beyond. You still have plenty of time to slow the aging process and keep preventable health problems at bay.
“It’s never too late to start,” said Abby King, PhD, a Stanford Medicine professor of epidemiology and population health and a faculty member at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has spent decades studying health behaviors across the lifespan.
We spoke to King and other Stanford Medicine health experts about which habits, if established in your 40s and 50s, can set you up for longevity. Their recommendations range from preserving muscle mass and bone density to catching health problems before they become serious. Whether you’re someone who’s always been active or you’re realizing it’s time to make some changes, these habits can help you feel strong, energetic and healthy as you age.
