10 Daily Habits That Can Add 10 Years to Your Life, According to a Biohacker
It’s not secret that drinking, smoking, and eating unhealthy food are considered bad habits that can be detrimental to your health and even shave years off your life. On the flip side, healthy habits can help promote longevity. Eat This, Not That! Spoke to Dave Asprey, 4x NY Times Bestselling Author of Heavily Meditated, Health Science and Biotech Entrepreneur, and “The Father of Biohacking’ and asked him to reveal the top ten habits that can add years to your life. Some of them might surprise you.
Train Your Muscles
His first healthy habit? Train your muscles. “Resistance training is a must if you want to live a long time. That’s because muscle mass is a longevity predictor. You don’t have to be a super buff bodybuilder. You just want to have enough muscle to be strong. Muscle keeps you mobile, helps you maintain metabolic health and blood sugar control, and makes you look good!” he says. “An easy way to start is with four movements in the gym – push-ups, pull-ups, squats and deadlifts. If you can’t do these, use the machines or make adjustments as needed. If you don’t have access to a gym, you can use resistance bands at home.”
Improve Your VO2 Max
Next, work on improving your VO2 max. “Your VO2 max is a measure of how much oxygen your body consumes during exercise. Scientific studies associate a higher VO2 max with living longer,” he says. “The best way to improve your VO2 max is with interval sprint training. Go to a park and warm up with a slow walk. Then, sprint for 30 seconds, all-out like a tiger is chasing you. Then go back to a slow walk and recover until your heart rate goes back to normal. Repeat the sprint/rest cycle 6-8 times. If you live near an Upgrade Labs, come in and try our AI Adaptive Bike. It gives you a personalized workout based on your fitness levels and the best part is that it only takes 5 minutes! Studies show it improves your VO2 max by 12% in just 8 weeks.”
Sleep Deeply
Sleeping better will help you live longer, according to Asprey. “Focus on quality over quantity. If you track your sleep (which I highly recommend – see #8) aim for around 1.5 hours of deep sleep and 1.5 hours of REM sleep each night.”
Meditate
Meditation is also key. “Meditation eliminates stress, which is a major driver of aging. You can meditate in a variety of different ways. If you want to learn about the most effective, science-backed ways to let go of stress and get the benefits of years of meditation within days, check out my new book, Heavily Meditated,” he says.
Embrace BICEP
Embrace BICEP, says Asprey. “I recently introduced a new concept in my book, Heavily Meditated. It’s called BICEP and it stands for Brief Intentional Conscious Exposure to Pain. This is why biohackers love cold plunges, why Texans love hot peppers, and why some people are addicted to getting tattoos. When you regularly do hard things for a brief amount of time your body becomes more resilient. You also reset your dopamine sensitivity, which means that life will feel easier and more pleasurable in general. Cold plunges, sauna, and high-intensity exercise are three forms of BICEP you can start doing today that will make you more resilient and support your longevity,” he says.
Build Your Community
“Build your community,” Asprey encourages. “Not only is building community great for growth and self-improvement, it’s also good for your biology. Studies show that people who have stronger social connections live longer. Join a local club with people who are interested in the same things as you. Face-to-face interactions are best.”
Feel Gratitude Daily
“Feel gratitude daily,” Asprey continues. “Like meditation, gratitude can help reduce stress and support longevity. Start a gratitude journal. Every morning and every evening, write down 3 things you’re grateful for. This is the key – sit for a few minutes and actually FEEL the gratitude in your body. Gratitude is a feeling, not an emotion. To get the benefits, you have to feel it in your body. Maybe it feels like a warm glow around your chest. Perhaps you feel it in your hands and feet. Sit with the feeling for a few minutes each time you write in your journal. Gratitude is a muscle. You have to exercise it daily to get results.”
Track Your Metrics
Track your metrics. “Sure, you’re doing all of the things, but how do you know they’re working? And how do you know what’s best for you? Your biology is unique so what works for you won’t work for your neighbor. I recommend that everyone gets comprehensive labs done regularly. This is to ensure your hormones, inflammation, and nutrient levels are in the right range. I also recommend tracking metrics with an AI-powered wearable like the Oura ring. This way you can see how you’re sleeping and how well you’re recovering. Daily metrics can help guide you in refining your routine or modifying it depending on what your body is telling you on that specific day,” Asprey says.
Filter Your Water and Air
Next, filter your water and air. “We live in a toxic world. You might go out of your way to buy organic vegetables or unprocessed foods, but do you ever think about the air you breathe or the water you drink? Tap water can contain microplastics, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, PFAS (forever chemicals), and more. You don’t want those in your body. They’re not good for longevity. The best strategy is to get a whole-home reverse osmosis water filter. You also want to make sure your air is clean. Breathing in pollutants can cause body-wide oxidative stress and age you rapidly. A high-quality air filter is a must!” he says.
Get your DAKE and Minerals
Lastly, get your DAKE and minerals. “Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause cellular dysfunction and contribute to accelerated aging. While some people will argue that a whole-food diet is sufficient to meet nutrient needs, this just isn’t true – at least if you want to thrive and live a long time,” Asprey says. “Our food isn’t what it used to be – our soil is depleted and therefore our food doesn’t have as many nutrients as it did in the past. The two most important categories of nutrients that I recommend you take are vitamin DAKE (fat-soluble vitamins D,A,K, and E) and minerals. Minerals are crucial for life as they power every reaction that goes on in your body. If you don’t have enough minerals, you’ll feel it. I recommend taking a high-quality mineral blend like the one from my company Suppgrade Labs. It contains all of the right forms in the right ratios that your body needs. Fat soluble vitamins D,A,K, and E shuttle minerals around to where they need to go to perform their actions. Suppgrade Labs also makes a high-quality Vitamin DAKE supplement that contains the most bioavailable forms of these vitamins in the correct amounts that will support your energy levels and longevity goals.”
