Can You Slow Down Aging? Science Says Yes

As kids, we couldn’t wait to grow up, tacking on “and a half” to our ages just to feel older. But somewhere along the way, the script flipped. Suddenly, we’re reluctant to share our age, or we catch our reflection and wonder why it doesn’t match how we feel on the inside. The good news? The age on your driver’s license isn’t the whole story, and something known as biological age is a better reflection of how you’re aging on a molecular and cellular level.

Biological age versus chronological age

If you’ve seen the viral videos marveling at how certain generations (cough, millennials) “aren’t aging,” there’s actual science to back up the idea that we all age in different ways.

This explains why some 70-year-olds are crushing workouts and climbing mountains while others, unfortunately, struggle with stairs or everyday tasks. That’s because an individual’s biological age (a conceptual reflection of how they’re aging internally, externally, and functionally) might be substantially different from their chronological age (the number of birthdays they’ve celebrated or how many times they’ve been around the sun.)

There are several different indicators of biological age, including grip strength, VO2 max, blood markers that are reflective of cardiovascular health and blood sugar control, and computational models called next-generation epigenetic aging clocks.

Next-generation epigenetic aging clocks are more contemporary aging biomarkers that use machine learning or artificial intelligence to predict something known as epigenetic age. Epigenetic age itself is based on epigenetics—changes that modify gene expression without altering genetic code. While your DNA contains all your genes and serves as the blueprint for your body, epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation dictate which genes are active or inactive in different cells and at different times.

Not only do epigenetic patterns dictate cellular behavior, but they affect everything from cellular repair to inflammation. Epigenetic patterns also change dramatically with age, and these epigenetic alterations are considered to be a fundamental hallmark of aging. DNA methylation and other epigenetic processes are also highly sensitive to lifestyle behaviors, meaning your daily habits don’t just affect how you feel as you age; they also shape how you age at the molecular level.

How much of aging is genetic?

A lot of people credit their youthful looks—or blame their early gray hairs—on their genetics. But while your genetics play a role in how you age, it’s not as big as you might think for most people. On a population level, we know that the vast majority of what determines lifespan is non-genetic. One study concluded that the heritability of lifespan was less than 10 percent, meaning that more than 90 percent of lifespan was determined by lifestyle and environment.

These findings are encouraging as they reveal that aging isn’t merely something that happens to us—it’s something we can actively influence. While factors like diet, exercise, sleep, and stress don’t change your genetic code, they do impact how your genes behave and ultimately influence how rapidly or slowly you age.

The role of DNA methylation and aging biomarkers

Curious to learn more about how you're aging on an epigenetic level? A next-generation epigenetic aging clock test optimized for reproducibility is one way to find out. Take, for instance, Tally Health’s TallyAge™ Test—an innovative test that analyzes more than 200,000 DNA methylation sites to predict epigenetic age. Unlike traditional blood-based tests, the TallyAge™ Test is based on a simple, painless, cheek swab that can be easily performed at home. Importantly, research has shown that cheek swabs are a viable tissue source for epigenetic age prediction.

What makes this test unique? The TallyAge™ Test is inspired by CheekAge, a next-generation epigenetic aging clock trained on the world’s largest and most diverse commercial DNA methylation dataset of adult cheek cells.

Developed using over 8,000 samples from diverse individuals aged 18 to 100 years, CheekAge was designed to associate with holistic lifestyle and health factors, including weekly exercise, sleep quality, diet quality, alcohol intake, smoking status, and perceived stress. Techniques were also incorporated into the design to increase test-retest reproducibility, meaning that two tests taken at the same time show more similar results.

In addition to showing that CheekAge is significantly associated with various lifestyle, health, and disease factors, Tally Health’s research team has found that CheekAge is significantly associated with all-cause mortality risk in older adults tracked over time. This establishes CheekAge as a validated aging biomarker that is capturing an intriguing epigenetic signal that changes with age.

Tips to slow epigenetic aging

Improving how you age on an epigenetic level doesn’t require a complete lifestyle overhaul. Simple, yet powerful intentional changes in key areas can significantly influence your epigenome and enhance your overall well-being.

Eat a plant-rich diet

The phrase “you are what you eat” has never been truer. Research has shown that diets like the Mediterranean diet and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) can positively impact aging biomarkers.

For example, one interventional study showed that the Mediterranean diet could significantly decrease epigenetic age. Compelling data also suggest that subscribing to a healthy diet can significantly increase overall life expectancy.

Existing evidence suggests that an optimal diet is one that is unprocessed/minimally processed and emphasizes a combination of vegetables, fruits, lean protein, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains.

Stay physically active

Regular exercise isn’t just about building muscle or burning calories—it can also massively impact how we age and our quality of life. In fact, exercise is probably one of the biggest lifestyle levers we can all pull to help shape our aging trajectories.

Not only is physical activity consistently associated with slower epigenetic aging, but weekly exercise strongly predicts future mortality risk. In one study involving 116,221 adults in the United States, individuals who performed 5-10 hours of moderate physical activity, 2.5-5 hours of vigorous physical activity, or a comparable combination of both displayed the lowest mortality risk.

A separate paper found that, compared to people with elite cardiorespiratory fitness, people with low cardiorespiratory fitness were 404 percent more likely to die during a follow-up period.

Make sleep a priority

Poor sleep quality, insufficient sleep, and insomnia have all been linked to faster epigenetic aging. On the other hand, it has been estimated that individuals who get enough sleep can extend their lifespan by approximately 4.7 years for men and 2.4 years for women. According to the Sleep Foundation, most healthy adults require at least seven hours of sleep each night.

While habits like avoiding blue light close to bedtime and creating a cool, dark, and quiet sleeping environment can promote better rest, research points to sleep regularity—going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—as another strong predictor of future mortality risk. Therefore, developing a consistent sleep routine could be one of the most impactful changes you can make for your long-term health.

Manage stress levels

Researchers at Tally Health have observed a significant association between epigenetic age and perceived stress. Other researchers have similarly reported a link between epigenetic age acceleration and cumulative stress.

The good news? Research shows that psychological resilience traits, such as emotional regulation and self-control, may help buffer the impact of stress on aging. Additionally, activities like mindfulness meditation, yoga, and spending time in nature can help reduce stress levels. One recent study found an association between practicing yoga and a younger epigenetic age.

Foster meaningful social connections

Building strong social bonds may be the secret to a long, healthy life. According to a Harvard longitudinal study—one of the longest studies on adult life—close relationships are major drivers of happiness and well-being throughout life.

Additional research reinforces this, revealing a strong association between social relationships and all-cause mortality risk. In fact, the health risks of social isolation and loneliness are often compared to the risks of cigarette smoking.

Limit alcohol

Data from over 8,000 Tally Health beta testers highlights a strong connection between alcohol consumption and epigenetic age acceleration. Participants who drank 15 or more drinks per week had an epigenetic age that was, on average, 2.24 years older.

Even reducing intake from 1-3 drinks per week to none led to a noticeable improvement, shaving 0.29 years (3.48 months) off average epigenetic age. Other research further supports the link between alcohol and accelerated epigenetic aging.

Takeaway

We’re stepping into an exciting new era of personalized wellness, where exciting advancements are providing new tools to take control of how we age. By gaining a better understanding of how we’re aging and making targeted lifestyle changes, we can help shape our aging trajectory and maximize the likelihood of living a longer, healthier life.

Ready to begin your journey? Tally Health is offering Parsley Health’s audience an exclusive $30 off their first order with CODE: PARSLEY30. Take the first step toward aging on your own terms with Tally Health.

Dr. Adiv Johnson has been involved in aging research since 2008 and has published more than 40 papers in scientific journals related to aging, age-related disease, and regenerative medicine. Since completing his Ph.D. in Physiological Sciences at the University of Arizona in 2014 and finishing a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Ophthalmology Department at the Mayo Clinic in 2015, Adiv's research has focused on the underlying biology of aging and aging biomarkers. This research combined with his passion for healthy aging led him to join the longevity technology company Tally Health, where he serves as the Head of Scientific Affairs and Education.