The Goal? Stay Capable Longer

A 2024 CDC report showed that the average life expectancy in the U.S. is now 79 years old. Women average 81.4 years and men average 76.5 years.

That sounds like good news…and it is! (And I can think of quite a few of you in the studio who have already beaten those numbers!)

But researchers are focusing more and more on something called healthspan.

Healthspan is how many of those years are lived in good health: feeling strong, independent, mobile, cognitively sharp, and physically capable.

And this is where things get concerning.

Recent research suggests Americans spend an average of about 12 years living with chronic disease, pain, mobility limitations, or disability before the end of life!

In other words, we’re getting better at keeping people alive…but not always better at helping people stay healthy.

Here are some reasons for the gap between lifespan and healthspan:  

• sedentary lifestyles
• loss of muscle as we age
• obesity
• cardiovascular disease
• chronic stress
• poor sleep
• mobility decline
• social isolation

The encouraging part is that we actually know a lot about what improves healthspan. 

The strongest evidence consistently points to:

• regular exercise and movement
• maintaining muscle mass as we age
• social connection and community
• good sleep, nutrition, and stress management

The conversation around aging is changing. People are realizing the goal isn’t simply to live longer. It’s to stay capable longer.

To still be able to:
• travel comfortably
• climb stairs easily
• get up off the floor
• carry groceries
• garden
• play with grandchildren
• stay independent
• continue doing the things you love

That’s what healthspan really means.

Not just more years…but more GOOD years. 

So the next time you walk through the studio doors, give yourself a little credit. In a world where it’s easy to put your health last, you’re choosing to invest in your healthspan. You should feel proud of yourself for showing up.