Healthy ageing doesn’t begin at 60: Doctor shares daily habits that can decide how well you’ll live later

Ageing has a curious way of surprising people.

Many spend their younger years chasing deadlines, neglecting sleep, skipping exercise, and assuming there will always be time to take care of health later.

Then one day, aching knees, rising blood pressure, poor sleep, or constant fatigue become reminders that the body keeps a record of every choice.Perhaps that is why healthy ageing is often misunderstood.

It is not about adding more years to life.

It is about adding life to those years.According to the World Health Organization, healthy ageing means maintaining the ability to do the things people value as they grow older.

It is a lifelong process, not a goal reserved for people in their sixties or seventies.

Many people believe ageing begins after retirement.

In reality, it starts much earlier.

The physical and emotional health experienced in later years reflects habits formed during youth and middle age.Dr Brijesh Singh, Department of Yoga and Meditation, K J Somaiya Institute of Dharma Studies, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, said, "Healthy ageing is often perceived as a concern that becomes relevant only after retirement or when age-related issues begin to appear.

However, experts increasingly emphasize that healthy ageing is a lifelong process that should begin much earlier than most people realize.

The physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual health we experience in our later years is significantly influenced by the habits and lifestyle choices we adopt during our youth and middle age."Modern life rarely rewards balance.

Health tends to stay invisible when everything seems fine.

Most people do not think about their joints until climbing stairs becomes difficult.

Sleep becomes important only after insomnia arrives.

Stress feels manageable until anxiety, hypertension, or burnout begin to interfere with daily life.Unfortunately, ageing does not happen overnight.

It happens in tiny moments.

A skipped walk.

Another sleepless week.

Years of stress.

Poor eating habits.

One day, the body simply asks for its dues.From the yogic perspective, growing older does not mean becoming weak.

It means preserving vitality, independence, and peace of mind.Dr Brijesh Singh explained, "From the perspective of yoga, healthy ageing is not merely about living longer but about maintaining vitality, independence, and a sense of well-being throughout life."Yoga is thought of as a type of stretching exercise.

But its philosophy extends much further.

It combines movement, breathing, awareness, and lifestyle practices that support the body and mind together.According to Dr Singh, "Regular practice of yoga asanas, yogic micro-practices, and loosening exercises during early adulthood helps improve flexibility, muscle strength, balance, and joint mobility.

These benefits accumulate over time and play a crucial role in preventing falls, reducing musculoskeletal problems, and maintaining functional independence in older age."He further added, "The practice of pranayama, breathing regulation, and related techniques enhances vital efficiency, supports cardiac health, and helps regulate the neural networks of the nervous system.

Such training builds a strong foundation for physical health, excellence, resilience, and longevity."People often associate ageing with wrinkles or grey hair.

Yet emotional exhaustion can be equally damaging.Long-term stress affects sleep, hormones, metabolism, and mental health.

It increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and depression.Dr Singh said, "Over time, even small unhealthy factors contribute to lifestyle-related disorders such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, anxiety, and depression."Yoga offers practical ways to respond."Yoga offers practical tools to address these challenges through mindfulness, meditation, relaxation techniques, and conscious breathing practices.

By managing stress effectively from an early age, individuals can reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve their overall quality of life," he explained.Dr Singh noted, "Meditation and mindfulness cultivate self-introspection, emotional stability, happiness, and resilience, enabling individuals to cope more effectively with life's challenges.

Human social responsibility and adherence to the AVAV (Āhāra, Vihāra, Ācāra, and Vicāra) principles, along with purposeful living and a healthy daily routine, further contribute to successful ageing."Healthy ageing does not begin at 60.

It begins with breakfast.

With sleep.

With the decision to walk instead of sit.

With learning how to breathe deeply during stressful moments.

With staying connected to people.

With taking care of emotional health as carefully as physical health.Dr Brijesh Singh puts it simply: "The question, therefore, is not whether we should think about healthy ageing, but whether we are beginning the conversation early enough.

Healthy ageing does not start at 60, it begins with the choices we make every day throughout our lives."This article includes expert inputs shared with TOI Health by:Dr Brijesh Singh, Dept of Yoga and Meditation, K J Somaiya Institute of Dharma Studies, Somaiya Vidyavihar University.Inputs were used to explore why healthy ageing should begin much earlier in life, how everyday habits influence physical and mental well-being in later years, and why practices such as yoga and mindful living can help build a healthier future.