Written by Elizabeth Williams-Drueding, DO | September 6, 2026
September is Healthy Aging Month. This is a great time to discuss that healthy aging starts now. The habits we build throughout adulthood can influence how we feel, move, think, and function for years to come.
While some changes are a natural part of getting older, many aspects of our health are influenced by the choices we make every day. Regular movement, good nutrition, quality sleep, meaningful relationships, preventive care, and attention to cardiovascular health can all help us stay healthier and more independent over time.
Here are some of the most important ways to support healthy aging at every stage of adulthood.
Keep Your Heart Healthy
Taking care of your cardiovascular health is one of the best investments you can make in your long-term health.
The basics remain important at every age:
- Move regularly. Aim for about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, while remembering that any movement is better than none.
- Eat mostly whole, nutrient-dense foods. Build meals around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, lean proteins, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Know your numbers. Blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are important markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health.
- Prioritize sleep. Most adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours each night.
- Avoid tobacco. Quitting provides health benefits at any age.
As we get older, some changes in cardiovascular function are expected. However, chest pain, new or unusual shortness of breath, persistent leg swelling, fainting, or new heart palpitations should not simply be attributed to aging. Talk with your healthcare provider if you notice new or concerning symptoms.
Protect Your Brain and Mental Health
Brain health is an important part of healthy aging, and many of the same habits that protect your heart also support your brain.
Regular exercise, a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, staying mentally active, maintaining social connections, and managing cardiovascular risk factors can all contribute to long-term cognitive health.
A few ways to support your brain:
- Keep learning. Read, take a class, learn a new skill, play an instrument, or challenge yourself in new ways.
- Stay connected. Make time for friends, family, community activities, volunteering, or other meaningful relationships.
- Eat with brain health in mind. Mediterranean and MIND-style eating patterns emphasize vegetables, leafy greens, berries, whole grains, nuts, fish, beans, and olive oil.
- Exercise regularly. Physical activity supports blood flow to the brain in addition to benefiting your heart, muscles, bones, and mood.
- Pay attention to mental health. Depression and anxiety can occur at any age and are worth discussing with your healthcare provider.
Some occasional forgetfulness can happen with normal aging. Taking a little longer to remember a name or occasionally misplacing your keys is very different from repeatedly asking the same question, getting lost in familiar places, struggling with familiar tasks, or experiencing significant changes in judgment or personality. Those changes deserve a medical evaluation.
Build and Maintain Strength
One of the most important goals of healthy aging is maintaining the ability to do the things you enjoy.
Muscle mass and strength naturally decline with age, but staying active, and particularly incorporating resistance training, can help slow that process.
A well-rounded routine includes:
- Aerobic exercise: Walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, dancing, or another activity that gets your heart rate up
- Strength training: Weights, resistance bands, machines, or body-weight exercises at least twice per week
- Balance: Yoga, tai chi, single-leg exercises, or other balance-focused movements
- Mobility and flexibility: Regular movement and stretching to maintain comfortable range of motion
You do not have to follow a perfect exercise program to benefit. Walking more, taking the stairs, gardening, carrying groceries, and breaking up long periods of sitting all count.
If you have fallen, frequently feel unsteady, or have become worried about falling, mention it to your healthcare provider. Falls are not something you simply have to accept as part of getting older.
Eat Well for the Long Term
Nutrition needs can change throughout adulthood, but the foundation of a healthy diet remains fairly simple: focus on foods that provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
A few priorities include:
- Get enough protein. Protein helps preserve muscle mass, strength, and function. Include sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, tofu, or other protein-rich foods throughout the day.
- Choose nutrient-dense foods. Make fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and minimally processed foods the foundation of your diet.
- Stay hydrated. Our sense of thirst can become less reliable as we age, making regular fluid intake increasingly important.
- Limit heavily processed foods, excess sodium, and added sugars.
- Be thoughtful about supplements. Supplements can be helpful when there is a specific need or deficiency, but they do not replace a balanced diet. Talk with us before adding new supplements to your routine.
Make Sleep a Priority
Sleep is essential for physical recovery, brain health, mood, immune function, and overall well-being.
Most adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, although individual needs vary.
To support better sleep:
- Keep a consistent sleep and wake schedule.
- Limit caffeine later in the day and alcohol close to bedtime.
- Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortably cool.
- Reduce screen use close to bedtime.
- Make regular physical activity part of your routine.
If you snore loudly, wake up gasping or choking, experience frequent nighttime awakenings, or remain excessively tired during the day despite spending enough time in bed, talk with us at Active Health DPC. Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea are common and treatable.
Stay Up to Date on Preventive Care
Healthy aging is not only about treating problems when they occur. Preventive care gives us the opportunity to identify risks early and take steps to protect future health.
Depending on your age, health history, and individual risk factors, preventive care may include:
- Blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screening
- Breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer screening when appropriate
- Bone health and osteoporosis screening
- Routine eye and dental care
- Hearing evaluation
- Recommended vaccinations
- Medication reviews
- Mental health screening
- Conversations about nutrition, exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors
Screening recommendations are not one-size-fits-all. As we get older, decisions about continuing certain screenings should consider overall health, personal risk factors, previous screening results, and individual preferences.
What Is Normal Aging and What Is Not?
Aging looks different for everyone, and getting older does not automatically mean feeling unwell.
Some gradual changes can be expected over time, including needing reading glasses, taking a little longer to recall information, changes in sleep patterns, slower reaction times, or some decline in maximum exercise capacity.
Other changes deserve a closer look.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you notice:
- New or significant memory problems or confusion
- Chest pain or unexplained shortness of breath
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent sadness, withdrawal, or loss of interest in activities
- Recurrent falls or worsening balance
- Sudden or significant changes in vision or hearing
- A noticeable decline in your ability to complete everyday activities
- Any new symptom that is persistent or interfering with your quality of life
One of the most important principles of healthy aging is not assuming that every new symptom is simply because you are getting older. Many health concerns are treatable, and identifying them early can make a meaningful difference.
Your Healthy Aging Checklist
Healthy aging is built through small, consistent choices over time.
☐ Move your body every day
☐ Include strength training at least twice a week
☐ Eat enough protein and plenty of plant-based foods
☐ Prioritize 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep
☐ Stay connected with people and activities that matter to you
☐ Know your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
☐ Keep up with recommended screenings and vaccinations
☐ Review your medications periodically with your healthcare provider
☐ Pay attention to changes in your physical and mental health
☐ Keep doing things that challenge you, interest you, and bring you joy
Healthy aging is not about avoiding every change that comes with getting older. It is about protecting your health, strength, independence, and quality of life for as long as possible.
