Don’t get old before your time.
A number of very common everyday habits can accelerate biological aging, putting extra stress on your cells and organs and making yourself more susceptible to certain diseases and injuries.
But if you’ve been slipping, all hope is not lost: Dr. Joseph Purita, MD, medical director at PUR-FORM, has shared his tips for the easiest ways to make improvements — before it’s too late.
Purita called out seven habits hurting your longevity and healthspan — and though they may affect different parts of the body, the damage they do is very similar.
The most common (and most harmful) “biological pathways” that these habits take within the body include “chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction and changes in our epigenetics (which influence how our genes express aging),” Purita tells The Post.
“While they share these pathways, they don’t affect the body identically,” he explains. “Each habit tends to impact certain organs more strongly.”
And the more of them you do, the worse off you are.
“Because they all activate similar stress pathways in the body, their effects overlap and reinforce each other. Lifestyle habits absolutely compound each other,” he said.
In general, these are the lifestyle habits Purita warns against — and the tweaks he recommends making to help decelerate aging and stabilize the cells:
1. Smoking
The problem: “Smoking strongly accelerates biological aging by damaging DNA, increasing inflammation and harming blood vessels and multiple organ systems,” Purita says. This includes cigarettes, vapes, nicotine and any tobacco product.
The fix: The best way to combat smoking-related accelerated aging is to quit. Of course, that’s easier said than done. To kickstart the process, Purita recommends setting a quit date, and considering nicotine replacement therapy or prescription support.
“Even delaying the first cigarette of the day or eliminating smoking in the home can be a helpful first step,” he says.
2. Poor diet
The problem: “Diets high in ultra-processed foods and added sugars drive inflammation, insulin resistance and gut microbiome imbalance — all linked to accelerated aging,” Purita says.
The fix: Try out the “plus one, minus one” rule at meals, he suggests. “Add one plant-based food (fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts) and remove one processed item.”
3. Physical inactivity
The problem: Sedentary behavior is another leading cause of faster biological aging because it increases cardiovascular risk, muscle loss and metabolic dysfunction.
The fix: Time to get moving. Purita recommends starting with “movement snacks,” or 3-5 minutes of walking or light activity for every hour you sit. Then, “gradually work toward 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week plus two resistance sessions.”
4. Poor sleep
The problem: “Chronic sleep deprivation disrupts hormone balance, increases inflammation and impairs the body’s ability to repair DNA.”
The fix: Waking up at a consistent time everyday is key. Plus, try to give yourself 30-60 minutes of screen-free buffer time before bed.
5. Chronic stress
The problem: High stress levels elevate cortisol, weaken immune function and contribute to inflammation, which all accelerate aging.
The fix: Just five minutes a day of relaxation — whether it’s slow breathing, meditation or a short walk — can have a major impact on stress levels.
6. Excess alcohol
The problem: Not only is heavy alcohol consumption a driver of liver disease, cancer risk and neurodegeneration, Purita says. But “studies have found clear age-acceleration signatures in heavier drinkers.”
Most guidelines say heavy drinking means more than one drink per day for women, and more than two per day for men, “or heavy episodic drinking.”
The fix: You don’t have to do Dry January all year long to have a major impact on your health. Instead, try alcohol-free weekdays or alternate alcoholic drinks with water, Purita suggests.
7. Social isolation
The problem: “Loneliness is linked to higher mortality risk and accelerated biological aging, partly due to increased stress, reduced activity and being at higher-risk to develop depression,” he says.
The fix: Incorporating a little extra social interaction in your life is easy. “Schedule one recurring weekly social activity, ideally combined with movement like a walk or exercise class.”
But if the thought of even incremental change to all your daily habits at once is too overwhelming, Purita recommends starting with the highest impact activities first: quit smoking, figure out a regular sleep routine and take outdoor walks everyday.
It might not sound like much, but “those three habits alone influence many of the body’s core aging pathways.” And chances are, you’ll feel the difference.
Have too many bad habits? Even a little change helps
Over time, these unhealthy habits start to affect how people feel and function, Purita explains.
This often looks like lower energy and stamina; changes in body composition, with more visceral fat, less muscle mass and increased risk of frailty; higher risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease; brain and mood changes, including cognitive decline and “brain fog”; immune decline with more frequent illness and slower recovery; and external signs like more visible aging and slower wound healing, he says.
The symptoms only get more aggressive when more than one unhealthy lifestyle habit is at play. The upside? “The opposite is also true.”
“Large long-term studies show that each additional healthy habit — such as good sleep, regular activity, healthy diet, not smoking and moderate alcohol intake — significantly lowers mortality risk and slows biological aging,” Purita says.
That means someone who generally eats well, exercises regularly and manages their stress but struggles to get the recommended hours of sleep each night is “far better off than someone who is struggling across all areas.”
