Ageless Energy: Simple Habits from Centenarians to Keep Your Body and Mind Young

13. Tend to Your Sensory Health (Sight and Hearing)

A key to maintaining high engagement and cognitive sharpness is ensuring the body's input systems—sight and hearing—remain clear. Isolation and mental decline often accelerate when people struggle to participate in conversations or read. Centenarians prioritize routine eye and ear exams, ensuring they use necessary aids (glasses, hearing aids) without vanity. This habit isn't about resisting aging; it's about staying actively connected to the world. Clear sensory input reduces brain fatigue and helps maintain social interaction, learning, and safety—all critical factors that compound into a richer, more engaged life experience.

14. Engage in Functional Strength (Lifting and Carrying)

Beyond light walking, long-lived elders naturally engage in functional strength training—the ability to lift, carry, and stand up easily. This strength comes from carrying groceries, stacking firewood, or lifting grandchildren. This type of movement protects against sarcopenia (muscle loss) and is paramount for bone density. Incorporate simple, functional movements like squatting to pick things up, carrying heavy laundry baskets, or standing up fully from a chair without using your hands. Sustaining this strength gives you the physical reserve needed to recover from illness and maintain independence well into your later years.