Health professionals have shared simple daily habits that could extend your lifespan and 'change the trajectory of your health', as new figures show healthy life expectancy has declined in the UK. Between 2022 and 2024, men could expect to spend 60.7 years (77% of life) in good general health, while women could expect 60.9 years (73%). Overall life expectancy for the same period was 83 years for women and 79.1 for men.
Professor Paul Lee, an orthopaedic surgeon and medical engineer, advocates the 'one per cent rule'. He explains: 'The body is designed to move, so regular walking, joint movement and strength work help maintain tissues and circulation. Hydration, nutrition and reducing harmful inputs all change the internal environment your cells operate in. Sleep, recovery and the body's repair processes sit here. One of the most powerful principles is the one per cent rule. Improve something small and repeatable each day. Walk a little more. Hydrate better. Sleep slightly earlier. When those small inputs compound over months and years, they change the trajectory of your health.'
Josie Jones, founder of The Mindful Cook, outlines three daily nutritional anchors: around 90g of protein across the day for muscle maintenance and metabolic health; about 30g of fibre per day to support the gut microbiome and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancers; and a small amount of healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish. She notes: 'None of this is expensive. Tinned beans, lentils, oats, eggs, yoghurt, frozen vegetables, olive oil and nuts are all accessible foods that support those targets. The key is consistency.'
Denise Yeats, director at Denise Yeats Empowered Partnerships Ltd, recommends brief exercise sessions before Zoom calls. She says: 'Two minutes between meetings – 10 squats, 10 wall push-ups, 30 seconds of marching – reactivates your glutes and genuinely generates energy rather than spending it.' For perimenopausal and menopausal women, she adds that consistent micro-movement is 'protective, non-negotiable'.
Florence Achery, founder of Yoga Retreats and More, suggests the Five Tibetan Rites – a daily sequence of five movements combining stretching, balance and strength – to preserve spinal health. She also advises a walk after lunch and banning technology from bedrooms to support mental wellbeing.
