Six health habits to implement in your 60s for a longer life

However, eating fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines – a key part of the Mediterranean diet – are said to help prevent dementia, prostate cancer and age-related vision loss.

Eat little… and less often

Kenny is a fan of calorie-restrictive dieting: lowering the number of calories you consume in a 24-hour period. But she’s also a fan of time-restrictive eating, too. “Eating all your meals in an eight-hour window lowers blood sugar and lessens ageing inflammation,” says Kenny. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, into how post-menopausal women respond to time-restricted eating, showed those who abstained from food for 16 hours, or from 8pm until noon the following day, showed a small improvement in body weight (1.3 kilograms) and fat mass, compared with the control group.

Feed your gut

Studies of the microbiome – the bacteria and other microbes that live in our gut – show it is crucial to our immune system, heart and weight. “Research shows that it’s possible to shift the diversity of gut microbiome within 72 hours of changing our nutritional habits, and you can do this at any age,” says Kenny. “Aim for a plate of highly-coloured food: raspberries, grapes, and pickled foods such as sauerkraut or kimchi.”

Watch your drinking

“Cutting your alcohol intake will keep you younger both acutely – too much disrupts your sleep and lowers your mood – but also protect you from more chronic cellular changes that could lead to cancer, or affect your muscles and disrupt your balance,” says Prof Kenny.

There’s no need to go teetotal, however: “Health behavioural studies have shown the benefits of moderate drinking of red wine – no more than two glasses a day – and only with a friend. Never drink alone, or you may find yourself consuming more.” But do your best to stick to government guidelines of no more than 14 units a week, spread over a few days, with two or three consecutive alcohol-free days.

It’s never too late to get fitter

When it comes to reducing the risk of an early death, getting active in midlife could be as good for you as starting young, according to a 2019 study by National Cancer Institute in the US. However, the benefits decline once you stop exercising.

“If you maintain an active lifestyle or participate in some sort of exercise over this window of time [from youth to middle-age], you can extend your life expectancy,” says Dr Pedro Saint-Maurice, lead author of the research from the National Cancer Institute in the US.

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The type of exercise you do is also important, however. “Most people know the benefits of aerobic exercise, but resistance exercise (with weights) is just as important in keeping bones and muscles strong,” says Kenny.

Research from Australia and Nigeria has shown that spending just three seconds a day on an “eccentric” bicep curl – slowly extending a free weight down below your waist – can lead to significant strength improvements.

When it comes to aerobic exercise, aim for more than 150 minutes a week. Brisk walking is perfect – and, says Kenny, “never sit still for more than 45 minutes at a time”.

Limit naps

As we age, our sleep pattern changes. Our nights are more disrupted, we sleep for shorter periods, and wake up earlier. It’s not surprising then, that we feel the urge to take more naps. “It’s fine to take a nap for a maximum of 20 minutes, but never after 3pm or it will disrupt your circadian rhythm,” says Kenny. “This will sap your energy, and make you feel far older.” Sleep deprivation is entirely reversible: have a run of good nights, and your wellbeing will return.

The Telegraph, London

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