Dr Amir Khan, a regular on ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, has shared a simple 30-second daily habit that he says will dramatically reduce the risk of falls and injuries. In a recent TikTok video outlining five essential health tips for people over 35, he urged viewers to train their balance every day.
Thirty Seconds on One Leg
"We need to all be doing this," Dr Khan said. "Train your balance daily. Balance relies on your cerebellum, inner ear, and tiny sensors in your muscles called proprioceptors. These systems decline after 35 unless you challenge them."
He recommended standing on one leg for 30 seconds while brushing your teeth as an effective way to train balance, core coordination, and brain-body signalling. "It dramatically reduces future fall and injury risk. So tonight, when you're brushing your teeth, do it on one leg," he added.
Four More Tips for Healthy Ageing
Dr Khan also outlined four other tips he said would "genuinely can change how you age". These include getting five minutes of outdoor morning light, which he called "the most powerful free tool we have", to reset cortisol timing and improve sleep.
He also recommended short bursts of intensity, such as 20 to 40 seconds of fast stairs or a brisk uphill walk, to improve VO2 max, and checking blood pressure at home once a month. "If it's higher than 135 over 85 at home, do daily readings for a week and work out the average," he said.
Build Muscles and Bones
For his final tip, Dr Khan advised strength and impact exercises twice a week to protect metabolism, joint stability, glucose control, and long-term fracture risk, as muscle fibres and bone density slowly decline from the mid-30s onwards.
