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Longevity is undoubtedly one of the biggest health buzzwords right now – and for good reason.
Being healthy means more to consumers than ever before, and a rise in interest in longevity and healthspan – that is, living for longer, but also living well for longer – is influencing the direction of the $2 trillion global wellness industry. Industry projections on what’s being dubbed “the longevity economy” predict a 168% increase in sales between now and 2035, with profits set to grow from $23.5 billion in revenue to over $63 billion in just ten years.
Need further convincing? The Euromonitor 2025 Global Consumer Trends report polled over 40,000 consumers and found that 52% of people are investing in “preventative, specialised solutions” to better their overall wellbeing (up 6% from 2023).
Fitness trackers and wearables like WHOOP, Oura, and Garmin have played a central role in the longevity boom. The devices provide real-time tracking of everything from your heart rate, to sleep cycles, to glucose levels, delivering impressively detailed data at the open of an app. New launches from Apple – which they shared took years to develop when we met with them last month – monitor everything from heart hypertension to sleep apnea.
And you need only walk into a Boots or Holland & Barrett to see the number of longevity-boosting supplements lining the shelves. Advances and innovations in the ingestible sphere have also taken centre-stage, with the likes of NAD+, a coenzyme frequently used in IV drip form by stars spanning Jennifer Anniston, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, projected to reach a global market value of $655 million by 2028 (a near 25% annual growth rate).
AI is only advancing what these products are capable of, not to mention how simple it is to integrate them seamlessly into your life. Exciting, innovative, and sometimes other-worldly products promising to prolong your lifespan are popping up left, right, and centre, so much so that optimising your life and living well is becoming the new norm.
It’s not just about the new possibilities that these products promise, of course – rather, a global priority shift. Post-COVID, wellness has become a mainstay, with the fragility of human life only highlighting the importance of integrative, preventative wellness and routines.
All of this to say, consumer demand is undeniably there, and people want to know how to live happier and healthier, for longer.
Only last month, I was at a press event centred around “healthspan” – the phrase used to describe the number of years we live in good health. Sadly, statistics prove that while women live longer, we live longer in poor health. Women are twice as likely to develop – and ultimately die from – debilitating conditions like Alzheimer’s. But, thankfully, things are changing, and people are no longer willing to live their lives “guessing” what routines, nutrition, and healthy habits work best for them and their bodies. The trend is clear: people want evidence-based interventions and personalised health solutions that genuinely work.
That’s why, below, I’ve picked the brains of some of the world’s leading longevity experts to get their take on how to hack your longevity from home. They’ve got practical tips across sleep, diet, stress, skin, and more that might just change your life – or add a few years, at least.
10 Simple Ways To Hack Your Longevity at Home
Nail your sleep quality and create the ideal sleep environment
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According to Emily Capodilupo, senior vice president of research, algorithms and data at WHOOP, sleep is one of the most powerful levers we have for improving overall health and performance. And it’s available to everyone. “Optimising your sleep is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do,” she explains. “When you sleep better, every system in your body performs better – from your metabolism and immune response, to your focus and mood.”
So, what does “good” sleep actually look like? You’ll know that consistency is key, and that our bodies thrive on routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time is key to reinforcing your circadian rhythm and keeping the internal clock that governs when you feel alert or sleepy in sync. “Over time, this consistency improves sleep efficiency, meaning you spend a greater proportion of time in the most restorative stages of sleep,” Capodilupo says.
As a general rule of thumb, all of the experts we spoke to recommend aiming for seven to nine hours of total sleep, and really honing the calibre of your sleep – with an emphasis on quality, not quantity. According to Capodilupo, “Your goal should be to maximise the time you spend in REM sleep, which supports memory, learning, and emotional regulation, and deep sleep, which restores your muscles and immune system.”
Next up: sleep environment. You’ll likely have a sunrise alarm clock and magnesium supplements on hand for making evenings and mornings easier, but maintaining a cool, dark sleep environment can significantly improve your sleep quality, too.
As Michal Cohen-Sagi, founder of the biohacking and longevity tech-based circuit of Vidavii, explains, reducing light exposure before bed and keeping the temperature in your bedroom between 18 to 19°C (65°F) is optimal for deep sleep.
“Darkness is key,” he stresses. “I use blackout curtains and avoid caffeine after 12 pm, too.” If you struggle to unwind, he also recommends trying magnesium or glycinate. They’ve also recently developed a new Vidavii at-home “psychedelic device”, which helps you unwind by guiding you through a short sleep meditation session.
Get tracking
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If you’re yet to use a fitness tracker or wearable, you may soon be in the minority – upwards of 35% of Brits are thought to be using one already, with forecasts predicting a continued boom. From which foods spike your glucose levels and lead to subsequent energy slumps, to how much scrolling TikTok before bed actually impacts your sleep, we’re living in an era of data as empowerment, and personalised plans are a significant step above the archaic one-size-fits-all approach. If you haven’t done so already, all the experts we spoke to recommended investing in one.
Long gone are the days of unattractive and clunky wearable tech; these days, it’s all subtle smart rings and discreet, modifiable-to-your-style bands (WHOOP even offer the option of slotting your tracker into your bra, hiding it completely). And it’s not only the aesthetic of these trackers that’s revolutionised in recent years.
Many companies have pivoted their attention to blood work and biomarkers. Take WHOOP, for example, which this month launched new Advanced Labs Uploads and Advanced Labs features in the UK and US, respectively, which offer an option to upload blood test results and to undergo a clinician-reviewed blood work experience via the app. WHOOP users can now see more than 65 biomarkers mapped against their personal sleep and recovery metrics, with personalised AI coaching running alongside to help make sense of the results. And they’re not alone – health start-up Healf has also rolled out its Healf Zone, a comprehensive at-home health assessment and biomarker analysis that they say “leverages world-leading neurosymbolic AI-driven technology to analyse a wide range of health markers”.
“Your blood contains powerful clues about how your body is functioning,” notes Capodilupo. “Biomarkers – like iron, vitamin D, cholesterol and glucose levels – can reveal whether you’re fuelling properly, recovering efficiently and supporting long-term health. When tracked alongside your data, these metrics help complete the picture, connecting how you feel with what’s driving it.”
Truly understanding what your body needs is about identifying what’s happening inside your body and using that information to make smarter, more personalised choices.”
Emily Capodilupo, senior vice president of research, algorithms and data at WHOOP
WHOOP have created what they’re calling a “feedback loop”, which is designed to empower you to make evidence-based decisions about both diet and lifestyle. “It’s not about tracking more,” Capodilupo explains, “rather, connecting the dots between your behaviours and your biology, so you can optimise from the inside out.”
And tracking your personal health data is key to living a long and healthy life… how? According to Capodilupo, understanding what your body needs “is about identifying what’s happening inside your body and using that information to make smarter, more personalised choices.” With information comes power – and tailored plans specifically suited to you and your body. This is where brands like WHOOP and Oura have completely changed the health-tech game. Rather than having to shell out thousands of pounds for intricate body scans or waiting months for an NHS appointment, it’s easier than ever to see what’s actually going on inside your body.
Exercise your mind, as well as your body
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You’ll likely already know that brain and cognitive longevity are just as important as physical fitness – and people are only paying more and more attention to what it truly means to look after our brains. “Brain health is such an important health concern; it’s now its own emerging category, with the global brain health market projected to grow to $15 billion by 2030,” says Rachel Chatterton, product director at Holland & Barrett.
While keeping your brain in tip-top shape needn’t be complicated, it does need to be consistent. Small daily tweaks like incorporating daily aerobic exercise – which “boosts both BDNF and neuroplasticity” – and choosing a quality omega-3 supplement are the simplest readily available tools to rely on at home, advises Cohen-Sagi. In terms of keeping yourself mentally fit from home, he cites reading and learning in ways that challenge your memory as being “absolutely crucial”.
There’s also interesting emerging research linking glucose control to brain protection, with one 2021 study highlighting how glucose control can improve neuronal functions.
Feed your cells first
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Which leads us nicely to our next point. The link between diet and overall wellbeing has been well documented, with good quality proteins, healthy fats and fibre from a range of diverse fruits, vegetables and legumes all key to heart health, weight management and more. But according to Dr Ash Kapoor, a leading voice in longevity medicine and a physician at Levitas Clinic, feeding your cells first is the key when it comes to boosting your lifespan from the inside out.
“Prioritise Vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, omega-3s, and trace minerals – aka, the raw materials your cells rely on,” he recommends; our body’s cells can’t produce these essential micronutrients, and yet they’re critical to bodily function and overall bodily health.
Registered nutritionist Lauren Windas agrees that prioritising cellular health is key, adding that her favourite easy at-home hack for longevity is to fill her plates with colourful foods that are high in antioxidants: “Incorporate things like extra virgin olive oil, oily fish, fresh poultry, fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses, leaving plenty of room for herbs and spices, too.”
She’s also a fan of polyphenol-rich foods like berries, green tea and turmeric, which will “all bump up my cellular protection against oxidative stress and enhance energy production in the mitochondria, while reducing age-related decline.”
When the small things (your cells) are inflamed, the big things (your organs) express disease. Long-term vitality comes from calming inflammation and strengthening cellular resilience
Dr Ash Kapoor
And once you’ve got the focus on real, nourishing, micronutrient-dense down, Dr Kapoor advises opting for “healthy fats over refined carbs, as carbohydrates tend to feed inflammation”.
Not clear what role inflammation plays in slowing down ageing? “At the centre of nearly every age-related process is inflammation, the body’s distress signal,” he says. “When the small things (your cells) are inflamed, the big things (your organs) express disease. Long-term vitality comes from calming inflammation and strengthening cellular resilience.”
And prioritise the fats that your brain is made up of
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Did you know that your brain consists mostly of fat and that it relies on the right fatty acids to function at its best? That’s why omega 3 – recently named as one of Holland & Barrett’s top-selling products for the second year in a row – omega 6 and omega 9 are key to boosting brain health.
“All three omega blends feed the brain first, restoring balance in key neurotransmitters,” explains Dr Kapoor. And when the brain receives the fats it needs, dopamine regulation improves – meaning you feel more satisfied, calmer and more in control.
The result? “Hunger naturally reduces, cravings settle, and your relationship with food becomes easier because the brain feels ‘fed’ at a cellular level.”
Make stress reduction a top priority
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Arguably even more important for prolonging quality of life than both sleep and nutrition, according to our experts, is stress management. And they advise making it a daily priority. “The neuroscience of longevity is simple,” stresses Dr Kapoor. “Your brain is constantly scanning for safety. When it feels safe, the body heals. When it feels threatened, inflammation rises.”
His advice spans two words: create safety. Create safety, and you reduce stress. Reduce stress, and you prolong the length and quality of life. “Safety is the true longevity protocol,” he states. “Genes simply give you the blueprint – your daily choices decide the outcome. Feed the cell. Protect the cell. Calm the brain. The rest of the body follows.”
Reduce your exposure to disruptive chemicals in skincare
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We’ve covered sleep, nutrition, and stress – but have you ever thought about how many disruptive chemicals there might be in the products that you’re using on your skin? Tule Park, founder of Skin Diligent, is a leading voice in longevity medicine and epigenetic skincare. She advises reducing your exposure to disruptive chemicals in skincare to optimise overall wellbeing.
Many conventional products contain endocrine disruptors, synthetic fragrance molecules and volatile solvents that place an unnecessary inflammatory burden on the skin
Tule Park, founder of Skin Diligent
“Many conventional products contain endocrine disruptors, synthetic fragrance molecules and volatile solvents that place an unnecessary inflammatory burden on the skin,” Park explains. Instead, she advises aiming for a toxin-light approach and biotech actives that support healthier cellular signalling over time. “Lowering exposure to disruptive chemicals means fewer inflammatory epigenetic signals and, ultimately, slower biological ageing.”`
Bring the outside, in
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Bear with us on this one – because if it hadn’t been recommended by world-renowned neuroscientist, Oxford-trained medical doctor, and author of The Signs, Dr Tara Swart, we too may have been sceptical.
Her top tip for boosting longevity from home is simple: “Bring nature, art and beauty into your home.” According to the neuroscientist, this area of research – which is called neuroaesthetics – shows that these improve mental health, physical health and longevity significantly.
“Plants, flowers, fruit or even still images, videos and sounds of nature in your home, lower your blood pressure, lower your stress hormone levels and reset your nervous system from fight/flight to rest and relax,” Dr Swart explains. “Natural aromas, textures, and surfaces made of natural materials such as wood, and in curved shapes rather than sharp corners, also contribute to longevity by keeping your nervous system regulated. As the stress hormone cortisol causes inflammation throughout the system, these additions to your home reduce your risk of illness and even death.”
Another simple way to boost lifespan is to try something she calls “olfactory enrichment” – that is, smelling different aromas during the day. “This improves cognition and memory as we age. You use a pillow spray at night, savour the smell of your morning coffee and choose bath and shower products with essential oils to achieve this,” Dr Swart explains.
Invest in the right tools
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On the hunt for more longevity-boosting tips and have a bit of money to invest? Dr Sandra Kaufmann, a longevity physician, author and creator of The Kaufmann Protocol, can’t rave enough about EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) suits. “The idea behind the suit parallels that of therapeutic electric stimulation therapy that’s been around since the 1960s,” she says. “This therapy, well known to many athletes, prevents muscle atrophy and builds muscle after surgery or with injuries. But the latest iteration – the suit – is the full body equivalent.”
But how exactly does EMS help prolong lifespan? “In essence, while an exerciser performs isometric movements, the suit discharges electrical stimulation from pads,” Kaufmann explains. “These electrical impulses stimulate the body’s cells and muscles for a faster, more efficient workout. In 20 minutes – the recommended time for one session – the suit can safely stimulate almost every important muscle in the body, mimicking three to four hours in the gym.”
Recent studies have brought to light innumerable benefits of the EMS suit, such as weight reduction and improved muscle mass. “One of the challenges with advancing age is the gradual loss of muscle, called sarcopenia, ultimately leading to weakness, fragility and loss of coordination,” warns Kaufmann. Maintaining muscle mass is crucial in the battle against ageing and deterioration. And this suit – well, it offers an alternative solution.
One hitch, though: the suit is expensive, sitting at around £2,000 for a home unit. Using a communal suit in the gym with a trainer starts at £50, which may be a more affordable option for some. Or, you could just aim for 45 minutes to an hour of exercise a day, as per the NHS guidelines…
But most importantly, be consistent
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Every single expert we spoke to for this piece repeated the same final tip – that above every wearable, supplement, and blood test you can do, being consistent with your healthy habits is the real key to success. “Longevity is a lifestyle,” confirms Cohen-Sagi. “Hacking your longevity at home should be a part of your everyday routine, as it is mine.”
Know this: you can start at any age and at any time. “Do what feels right for you and keep adding as you go” Cohen-Sagi advises. “It should be fun.”
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