The Longevity Blueprint: 5 Everyday Signs You’re Tracked for a Longer Life
Planning for a long retirement is a high-stakes math problem. Check these five longevity green flags to see if you have the habits and the history to beat the averages.
Will you live to 100, or do you think you're more the mid-80s type? What about full retirement age? Will you make it there?
Who knows, but judging from the numerous articles, podcasts, TV shows and books about longevity, it sure looks like we are supposed to know or at least have a good sense of how long we're likely to live. If we get the math wrong, we face a retirement shortfall — or we pass away before ever enjoying the money we sacrificed to save.
To play it safe, most financial advisers suggest saving as if you'll live to age 92 for men and 94 for women. However, that baseline doesn't help you decide when to claim Social Security or whether to take a pension as a lump sum vs lifetime payments. It also won't tell you if life insurance is really worth the cost. That's why longevity is such a huge topic; without knowing your own, you're essentially flying blind when it comes to planning for your retirement.
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"What happens if you die too soon? You want to have something to cover your family and loved ones when you are no longer here," says Kristin Cook, chief underwriting officer at National Life Group. "Or what if you live too long? How much do you really need to live the type of lifestyle in retirement you want to have?"
How can you tell if you have longevity on your side? From your family tree to your daily habits, here are five ways to know.
1. Your parents and grandparents lived long, healthy lives.
When determining longevity, one of the first things financial advisers, actuaries and underwriters look at is your family tree, which includes information about your parents, grandparents and siblings.
"The overall health of your parents and grandparents plays into a lot of important health factors," said Cook. "Indicators of mortality are genetically based. Cancer, any cardiac risk, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can be passed on from generation to generation."
Other hereditary factors that can influence longevity include:
- Family history of Type 2 diabetes and metabolic diseases
- Genetic predispositions to Alzheimer's disease or dementia
- Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Inherited longevity genes, such as those affecting cellular repair and inflammation
2. You prioritize clean eating and daily movement.
Even if your parents and grandparents lived until 100, that doesn't guarantee you will too. Genetics plays a big role in longevity, but so does lifestyle.
According to a study published in the journal Science, roughly 50% of lifespan is determined by lifestyle and environmental choices.
"Are you eating steak and drinking whiskey every night?" said Eric Ludwig, director of the American College of Financial Services Center for Retirement Income. "You have to consider your lifestyle choices" when thinking about longevity.
Some of the lifestyle factors that can influence your longevity include:
- Diets high in saturated fats and ultra-processed foods
- A chronic lack of physical activity and sedentary habits
- High levels of unmanaged stress, which elevate long-term cortisol
- Heavy alcohol consumption, drug use or tobacco use
"Certainly, a person's health matters. Are you active or obese? Do you take care of yourself? What kind of retirement lifestyle are you living?" said Kelly Regan, a Vice President and financial planner at Girard Advisory Services.
"The previous generation sat in their recliners and watched daytime shows and led a non-active lifestyle," she said. "A lot of people live more active lifestyles now and have better brain and body health."
3. You have strong social connections.
Loneliness can kill, which is why it's a factor that impacts longevity. Studies have consistently shown a clear correlation between early death and a lack of social connections.
"I find that clients who struggle (with social connections) tend to live shorter lives," said Regan.
Some of the effects of loneliness on longevity, according to the World Health Organization, include:
- Risk of stroke
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cognitive decline
- Premature death
On the flip side, the WHO says social connections can protect your health across your lifespan by reducing inflammation, lowering your risk of serious health problems and fostering positive mental health.
4. You get a good night's sleep.
Do you toss and turn all night? Are you awake into the wee hours of the morning? If you answer yes, you could be shortening your lifespan. "Sleep is a really big factor" in longevity, said Cook.
Sleep is very important for your body to repair and rejuvenate itself. But just how crucial is sleep for longevity? A recent study of 172,000 adults found that men who got enough sleep lived five years longer than men who didn't. For women, getting enough sleep gave them two additional years of life. How much sleep is ideal? About seven hours, experts say.
Getting too little sleep can impact your longevity in the following ways:
- Disrupted cellular and DNA repair, which accelerates biological aging
- Chronic systemic inflammation, which is a known cause of cardiovascular disease
- Impaired brain toxin clearance, which increases long-term risks for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's
- Metabolic dysfunction, which increases the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes
5. You have a strong sense of purpose.
Feeling adrift in retirement isn't just a psychological problem; it can shave years off your life. Having a sense of purpose, or a reason to get up in the morning, is an important aspect of longevity.
How important? According to a 2022 study led by the School of Public Health, older adults with the highest sense of purpose had a 46% lower risk of mortality over a four-year time frame compared to those with the lowest sense of purpose. That is nearly two times as effective as not smoking or getting regular exercise.
Having a sense of purpose doesn't mean filling every hour of every day in retirement, but it does mean finding something that brings you joy, gives you structure, and a reason to keep going. For some retirees, that could mean traveling; for others, it is picking up a hobby. They may also want to volunteer or spend time with their grandchildren. Whatever it is, the idea is to find something that excites and invigorates you and keeps you connected.
A lack of sense of purpose can impact longevity in the following ways, according to the 2022 study:
- Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks and strokes
- Higher stress levels, which can lead to chronic systemic inflammation
- Decline in physical activity and less likely to engage in routine health maintenance
- Higher rates of depression, social isolation and cognitive decline
Live but be aware
Longevity is important to financial planning, but nobody knows for sure how long they will actually last on this earth. That's why understanding these biological and lifestyle factors is so integral.
Understanding your own capacity for longevity can help you find a balance between planning for a lifetime and living like there's no tomorrow.
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