Why Americans gain years but lose vitality: Healthspan vs. lifespan and the 8 habits that close the gap
Americans are living into their late 70s on average, but many of those final years are spent managing chronic disease, pain or cognitive decline. That is the heart of the healthspan vs. lifespan conversation, and it is why doctors and researchers are pushing people to think less about the number of birthdays ahead and more about how many of those years will be spent thriving.
The distinction has moved from academic circles into mainstream medicine as chronic conditions rise across the country. Living longer, experts say, is only half the picture.
How Healthspan and Lifespan Differ
Lifespan is the total number of years a person lives. Healthspan is the stretch of years spent reasonably free of disabling disease or serious limitation, according to Harvard Health. In 1900, a newborn in the United States could expect to live about 47 years. Today the figure sits closer to 79, thanks to advances in sanitation, antibiotics, vaccines and emergency care.
The CDC puts U.S. life expectancy at 79.0 years for both sexes combined, 76.5 years for males and 81.4 years for females.
Healthspan is calculated for populations, not individuals. “Healthspan means living better, not just longer,” Dr. Corey Rovzar, a postdoctoral fellow at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, told Heart.org. “We’re talking about those years that are free from any significant chronic disease or any significant disability that might affect one’s quality of life.”
Why the Lifespan vs. Healthspan Gap Matters
Lifespans have grown. Healthspans have not kept pace. Harvard Health notes that many Americans now spend a decade or more living with multiple chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cognitive decline.
That gap is what researchers are working to close. Dr. Norrina Allen, vice chair for research in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said extending healthspan tends to extend lifespan as well. “The factors that help prevent the onset of disease are also highly related to preventing your death from those diseases,” she said.
How to Increase Healthspan and Lifespan
Allen helped write a 2022 American Heart Association report introducing Life’s Essential 8, a framework of eight behaviors and risk factors tied to healthier aging and longer, better years. The recommendations include avoiding tobacco, staying physically active and getting enough sleep. They also point to a whole-food diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats like olive oil.
Maintaining a healthy weight matters too, along with keeping cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar in a recommended range. The American Heart Association also advises limiting alcohol, which the group links to higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Excessive drinking is also connected to liver disease and breast cancer.
Rovzar recommends starting small. “Think intentionally about what you can do today,” she said. “Add greens to your meal. Walk a little bit longer. Those things add up. People approach lifestyle changes as all or nothing, but we need to shift that mentality to recognizing that every little bit counts.”
Physical health is only part of the equation. Allen said supportive family relationships, mental well-being, access to quality care and strong social ties all matter. “These additional factors lay the groundwork for maintaining good health behaviors and ideal clinical factors,” she said.
Why Stress and Exercise Belong in the Plan
Stress management is another priority. Dr. Linda Ercoli, interim director of the UCLA Longevity Center at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, pointed to research showing women in high-stress jobs had a 40% higher rate of heart disease than those without stressful jobs.
“Everybody needs to relax,” she said. “If you’re under chronic stress, you should be practicing this every day, sometimes twice a day.”
Ercoli also urged people to protect their sleep schedules, build social connections, avoid processed food and move their bodies. “There’s evidence to suggest that aerobic exercise may protect the brain and delay the onset of dementia,” she said.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
