How to live to 120

Live to 120 — but how?

How would you like to live in older age? With strength, mobility, mental clarity and enjoyment of what matters to you?

‘How to live to 120’ takes a long view and returns to practical foundations: movement, strength, sleep, nutrition and recovery. Amateur football can also have a regular place in this long, active life.

Motivation

Health

“If exercise could be packed into a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.”

Robert N. Butler, gerontologist and first director of the National Institute on Aging

120 is a question, not a promise

Living to 120 sounds like a dream, a provocation or an advertising slogan. For this article, however, it is above all a question: how can a person remain healthy, mobile, clear-minded, capable and full of energy for as long as possible?

A long life alone is not the real goal. What matters is not only how many years a person reaches, but how many of those years they can fill with strength, independence, mobility, mental clarity and enjoyment. This is why the modern longevity debate increasingly discusses healthspan alongside lifespan: the period in which a person remains truly functional. Peter Attia accordingly describes longevity as a balance between lifespan and healthspan — living longer and living better.

Ageing is shaped by both biological conditions and everyday life. Sleep, nutrition, movement, body weight, not smoking, recovery, light and the way we handle stress contribute to how we grow older.

For young athletes and amateurs, this idea begins with the foundations: nourishing the body well over the years, challenging it appropriately and looking after its recovery.

Anyone who wants to remain capable for a long time must learn early not merely to use their body, but to preserve it. That applies to professionals, amateurs, young female and male players, and everyone who regards their body as a foundation for life.

Why does the body age?

Ageing is not a single fault in the body. It is the interaction of many biological processes. Modern research describes this field through, among other frameworks, the Hallmarks of Aging. The updated 2023 version names twelve interconnected features: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, disabled macroautophagy, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem-cell exhaustion, altered intercellular communication, chronic inflammation and dysbiosis.

That sounds complicated, but the basic idea is simple:

• Cells accumulate damage over time.
• Energy production becomes less efficient.
• Repair systems become less effective.
• Inflammation can become chronic.
• Muscles, tendons, bones and the nervous system lose resilience if they are not regularly challenged in appropriate ways.
• Metabolism becomes more sensitive to excess food, inactivity, lack of sleep and persistent stress.

In everyday terms, ageing does not happen only on birthdays. It happens through small biological decisions that accumulate over years.

Many of these processes can be influenced. Regular movement, enough sleep, appropriate nutrition and good recovery provide a practical framework.

This is the central message of the chapter: longevity does not begin in a laboratory. It often begins with sleep, food, training, recovery and the ability to find the right measure.

The mistake in the longevity debate

The public debate often focuses on the spectacular: supplements, blood markers, biological-age tests, NAD+, cold, sauna, fasting, genetics and high-tech medicine. These subjects are not inherently uninteresting. David Sinclair is a recognised ageing researcher at Harvard Medical School; his work is associated with sirtuins, NAD+ metabolism and epigenetic processes in ageing, among other areas.

For most people, particularly young athletes, the greatest opportunity lies first in the foundations rather than in complicated additions.

NAD+ is biologically relevant: it is a coenzyme involved in many physiological reactions and plays an important role in mitochondrial function. Reviews describe falling NAD+ levels in connection with ageing and age-associated diseases. At the same time, the extent to which NAD+ precursors or other interventions produce clinically meaningful long-term effects in healthy people remains an area of ongoing research.

A better statement is this: for most people, the most compelling anti-ageing strategy is consistent rather than exotic.

• Do not smoke.
• Move regularly.
• Maintain muscle.
• Train the heart and lungs.
• Sleep enough.
• Avoid persistently eating too much.
• Reduce highly processed foods.
• Regulate stress.
• Avoid injuries.
• Take check-ups seriously.
• Care for the body before it breaks down.

This is less spectacular than “120 years”, but much closer to what is practically well supported today.

Movement: the strongest everyday driver of a long life

Regular movement is among the well-studied foundations of healthy ageing — for everyone, not only athletes.

The WHO recommends that adults undertake 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days. Children and adolescents should average about 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day.

This is central here because football can play a special role. It is a game, social connection, rhythm, coordination, sprinting, changes of direction, decisions, enjoyment and competition. Those qualities can make it a powerful route into lifelong activity.

That works only when football is understood as more than exertion. Anyone playing alongside school, work and family benefits from a reliable foundation: regular movement, sufficient sleep and strength for the demands of the game.

A better approach is: football for enjoyment; strength training for protection; endurance as a foundation; mobility for movement quality; sleep for repair; nutrition for energy; recovery as a long-term strategy.

Sport then becomes a means of preservation as well as performance.

Heart, lungs and VO₂max: why endurance is more than fitness

Many footballers first think of long runs when they hear “endurance”. For longevity, the concept is broader. It concerns cardiorespiratory fitness: the ability of the heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles to take in, transport and use oxygen.

A large study of 122,007 adults who completed an exercise test found an inverse relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and long-term mortality. Low fitness was a modifiable risk factor, and the fitter groups had lower mortality risks.

The figures mainly describe associations within population groups; they offer guidance for shaping your own life.

For football, endurance training is about more than still being able to run in the 80th minute. It is a system for health.

• A female player with good basic endurance recovers faster between intense actions.
• A youth player with a stronger aerobic foundation handles training better.
• An amateur with solid fitness protects both their game and their cardiovascular system.
• An older recreational player extends their active years by caring for their capacity to handle demands, as well as playing.

Endurance is the ability to remain healthily capable for longer, as well as the ability to keep running.

Muscle: the underestimated protective factor

Many people associate muscle with appearance. In football, it brings to mind challenges, sprints and shooting power. For healthy ageing, muscle is also a metabolic organ, a protective system, joint stabilisation, a glucose store, protection against falls and a foundation for independence.

A systematic review and meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a 10–17 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer overall, diabetes and lung cancer.

This does not mean that everyone needs to become a bodybuilder. It means that the body needs strength stimuli.

That matters particularly for footballers because the game places high demands on the knees, hips, ankles, trunk, adductors, hamstrings and calves. Playing without systematic stabilisation work risks injury. Injuries can have longer consequences: fear of movement, inactivity, weight gain, pain and lasting reductions in performance.

The message for young players is to build movement quality, strength foundations and body control early, rather than train like adult professionals. For amateurs, it is that two short, well-designed strength sessions a week can extend a football life, without requiring a complicated gym programme.

Nutrition: energy and good metabolic conditions

Eating habits act over long periods. Here, the central question is how food supplies energy while supporting long-term health.

Which way of eating fits your daily life and physical demands? The better question is: which diet helps your body remain stable, lower in inflammation, energetic and able to recover over the years?

Research often considers dietary patterns rather than isolated foods. A large JAMA Network Open cohort study following 25,315 women for around 25 years found that greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with lower all-cause mortality risk. Part of this association was explained by cardiometabolic factors including inflammation, insulin resistance, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and BMI.

The practical translation for sport and football is straightforward:

• More real foods.
• More vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts, whole grains, high-quality fats and enough protein.
• Fewer highly processed products.
• Less constant snacking without hunger.
• More deliberate meals around training, school, work and recovery.

Growth needs energy. Young footballers therefore learn above all to eat regularly, with variety and in a way that fits their training. A healthy youth player is building foundations: sleep, energy, nutrients, training, enjoyment and development.

Sleep: the repair no training can replace

Sleep is one of the strongest, yet most frequently underestimated factors in health, learning and long-term energy. Sleeping too little reduces the body’s ability to process training; it does not mean you are training harder.

The CDC regularly recommends at least seven hours for adults, and 8–10 hours for adolescents aged 13–17. A 2025 meta-analysis also found that sleeping less than seven hours or at least nine hours was associated with increased all-cause mortality risk. Longer sleep may also reflect underlying health problems.

In football, sleep trains technique in the brain, repairs muscles and tendons, regulates emotions, supports concentration and forms part of performance development.

A youth player on their phone late at night who arrives tired at school and training loses learning quality as well as energy. A female player who sleeps too little after intense sessions makes recovery and adaptation harder. An amateur combining work, family, training and late screen time may wonder about low energy even though the body has long been sending clear signals.

Longevity therefore often begins with a sensible evening routine rather than a spectacular morning ritual.

Sauna, cold and hormesis: stimulus with an appropriate measure

Sauna and cold broaden the view of physical stimuli, adaptation and recovery. Temperature, duration and personal circumstances matter.

Sauna is interesting because heat triggers cardiovascular responses. A Finnish JAMA Internal Medicine cohort study of 2,315 men found that more frequent sauna bathing was associated with lower risks of sudden cardiac death, fatal coronary heart disease, fatal cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. The authors stressed that further research was needed to clarify the mechanisms.

Sauna and cold are additional stimuli whose duration and intensity should suit the person. People with cardiovascular conditions or circulation problems have their suitability medically assessed beforehand.

The principle is simple: stimuli can strengthen the body when it can process them. They can harm it when they are too extreme, too frequent or applied in the wrong state. This applies to sauna, cold, football training and every form of “more”.

Sun, light and skin: proportion rather than fear

Football often takes place outdoors. Daylight, fresh air and movement are among its benefits; conscious protection from excessive UV exposure also belongs to a long, active life.

The WHO emphasises that the physical and psychological benefits of outdoor activity need to be balanced with protection from harmful UV radiation. Its recommendations include avoiding strong midday sun, checking the UV index, using shade, wearing protective clothing and not treating sunscreen as an invitation to stay in the sun longer.

For football, the practical message is straightforward: outdoor training is good; using sunlight thoughtfully is good; sunburn is not a sign of toughness; children and adolescents need particular protection. Anyone spending long summer hours on the pitch should regard UV protection as part of health literacy.

A player who wants to preserve their body over the long term protects their skin as well as their knees and hamstrings.

Check-ups: responsibility rather than fear

Regular medical assessment can complement a long-term approach to health.

For athletes, blood pressure, injury history, growth, capacity for exertion and recurring symptoms are relevant examples. Clarifying problems early helps shape further development appropriately.

Whether an examination is useful depends on the specific question. Benefits and possible burdens are weighed with the treating professional.

A healthy athlete is not someone who never sees a doctor. A healthy athlete takes warning signs seriously before they bring activity to a stop.

Amateur sport: making football a tool for healthspan

This chapter matters especially for amateurs. Many people play football because they love it, meet friends, release energy and feel alive, rather than to become professionals. That has great value.

Amateur football can go in two directions. It can strengthen health through movement, social connection, enjoyment, endurance, coordination, strength, identity and rhythm. Or it can place a strain on health through intense matches without preparation, no warm-up, alcohol after games, little sleep, poor nutrition, no strength foundation, no recovery and continually playing through pain.

The difference lies in the system around football, not in the sport itself.

A health-conscious amateur does not need a professional infrastructure. A simple structure is enough:

• two or three real movement sessions each week,
• regular strength and stability work,
• a sensible warm-up,
• enough sleep,
• conscious nutrition,
• taking pain signals seriously,
• not treating every game as a war,
• and not losing the entire routine after each setback.

FIFA emphasises that football has become more physically and mentally demanding, making injury prevention important for health, performance and career longevity. The same principle applies to amateurs with a different aim: preserving enjoyment, mobility and health rather than extending a professional career.

Injury prevention is longevity in football

Anyone wanting to play for a long time needs to take injuries seriously. Not every injury can be prevented, but many risks can be reduced.

FIFA 11+ was developed as a structured football warm-up and prevention programme. A systematic review reported that it could reduce injuries among footballers by around 30 per cent.

Why does this matter for longevity? Injuries change movement habits. Injured people move less. With less movement, fitness is lost. Lost fitness reduces energy. With less energy, returning becomes harder. Those who do not return often lose a part of their active lives.

Prevention is therefore part of the long game. For young players, development includes controlled landings, trunk stability, knee control, hamstring strength, mobility and coordination. For amateurs, warming up is not optional. For older recreational players, the best football routine is one that brings you back onto the pitch next week.

The young footballer and the 120-year question

For young players, living to 120 sounds distant. Youth seldom thinks about old age, which is natural. Yet this is the opportunity: learning early to treat the body healthily creates foundations that are difficult to make up later.

A young player should begin with the basics rather than anti-ageing supplements:

• enough sleep,
• regular meals,
• real foods,
• water instead of constant sugar,
• strength and mobility,
• enjoyment of movement,
• good technique,
• injury prevention,
• handling stress,
• and respect for their own body.

This is the foundation for talent development. Talent needs time. Time needs health. Health needs habits.

A player who learns to sleep well at 14 recovers better. A female player who learns to understand strength training properly at 15 protects her knees and hips. A youth player who at 16 learns to see nutrition as energy rather than dieting trains more consistently. A young person who learns to regulate stress at 17 becomes more resilient in sport and in life.

This is the real connection between longevity and football development: you are training for the next match, and also for the person you will be in ten, twenty or forty years.

A practical model: healthspan for footballers and amateurs

A useful weekly framework need not be complicated. It can be adapted to your training level, available time and recovery.

1. Football as play and enjoyment. One to three football-related sessions per week, depending on age, level, capacity and goals.
2. An aerobic foundation. Walking, cycling, easy running, short endurance sessions or longer active journeys. Everything does not have to be hard. Health often grows through moderate consistency.
3. Strength and stability. For many amateurs, two short sessions a week provide a starting point: trunk, legs, hips, calves, hamstrings, adductors and shoulder girdle.
4. Mobility and joint quality. Short routines for ankles, hips, spine and ribcage, particularly valuable for players who sit a lot.
5. Sleep as a regular training component. Part of the plan, rather than what remains of the day.
6. Nutrition without ideology. More real foods, sufficient protein, enough energy around training and fewer highly processed products.
7. Recovery and stress regulation. Breathing, walks, sauna for suitable people, breaks, conversations, nature and digital boundaries.
8. Prevention and check-ups. Warm-ups, movement technique, medical assessment of warning signs and not normalising chronic pain.

This model is not spectacular, but it is powerful because it is repeatable. Health is built from many good weeks over years, rather than one perfect week.

A rhythm that lasts

The number 120 sets a distant horizon. The concrete task is today: care for strength, mobility, health and enjoyment for as long as possible.

Exertion and recovery belong together. Training needs sleep. Growth needs energy. Additional stimuli need an appropriate measure. Planning needs room for enjoyment. Development needs humanity.

Health is an intelligent balance, not an extreme project. In football especially, challenge the body without destroying it; learn discipline without fighting your biology; improve without sacrificing long-term health.

Scientific background

Modern ageing research describes ageing as the interaction of biological processes, beyond the chronological passing of years. The updated 2023 Hallmarks of Aging offer a scientific framework including mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, cellular senescence and deregulated nutrient sensing.

Movement remains the strongest practical link between longevity and everyday life. The WHO recommends regular aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity for adults, and an average of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily for children and adolescents.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a particularly relevant marker. A large JAMA Network Open cohort study showed an inverse relationship between fitness level and long-term all-cause mortality.

Muscle-strengthening activity also matters. A meta-analysis found associations between strength activity and lower risks of all-cause mortality and several major disease groups.

Dietary patterns matter more than individual miracle nutrients. A large study on the Mediterranean diet found an association between higher adherence and lower all-cause mortality risk, partly mediated by cardiometabolic factors.

Sleep is another central factor. Recommendations vary by age; adolescents need more sleep than adults, and insufficient sleep can affect health, learning, mood and performance.

For football, prevention is an additional element. Programmes such as FIFA 11+ show that structured warm-ups and neuromuscular prevention can reduce injury risks.

Conclusion

Perhaps the most honest answer is this: not through following one secret, forcing youth or believing every new longevity promise, but by treating the body over the years in ways that keep it strong, mobile, clear and resilient for as long as possible.

For footballers, that means: play with enjoyment; train intelligently; sleep enough; eat for energy rather than ideology; build muscle; maintain endurance; protect your joints; avoid unnecessary injuries; regulate stress; and take health seriously before it is lost.

120 years sets a broad horizon, but the direction is clear. Anyone who wants to stay young for a long time should learn early to live healthily. Anyone who wants to love football for a long time must develop a body that works today and can still support them tomorrow.

True performance is more than the sprint in the next action. It is retaining energy over the years.

Literature / sources

• López-Otín, C. et al. (2023). Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe. Cell.

• World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

• Bull, F. C. et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine.

• Mandsager, K. et al. (2018). Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing. JAMA Network Open.

• Momma, H. et al. (2022). Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases. British Journal of Sports Medicine.

• Ahmad, S. et al. (2024). Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Women. JAMA Network Open.

• CDC. About Sleep.

• Ungvari, Z. et al. (2025). Imbalanced sleep increases mortality risk by 14–34%: a meta-analysis. GeroScience.

• Sinclair Lab / Harvard Medical School. David Sinclair, A.O., Ph.D.

• Yusri, K. et al. (2025). The role of NAD+ metabolism and its modulation of mitochondria in aging and disease. npj Metabolic Health and Disease.

• Laukkanen, T. et al. (2015). Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events. JAMA Internal Medicine.

• WHO. Radiation: Protecting against skin cancer.

• FIFA. Injury prevention and health promotion.

• Sadigursky, D. et al. (2017). The FIFA 11+ injury prevention program for soccer players: a systematic review.