Some people have won the longevity lottery—they are among the lucky few known as SuperAgers.
In a relatively new field, researchers are examining what contributes to people in their 80s and 90s having stronger brain power than their peers. Many are wondering if those findings can be distilled into a longevity routine or pill to help everyone become a SuperAger. Is it possible to increase your odds of becoming a SuperAger?
“It’s not inevitable that we will become disabled and sick as we get older. What we’re learning from these unique individuals is that it is biologically plausible for us to live long and healthy,” says Dr. Sofiya Milman, the director of the Human Longevity Studies at Einstein’s Institute for Aging Research and the lead investigator of the SuperAgers Family Study, which has enrolled 550 SuperAgers since 2022. “Once we know what causes longevity, that it’s not a disease, we can then create therapies that will promote that biological longevity, and ultimately, that’s the goal of what we’re doing.”
What is a SuperAger?
There isn’t a single definition of a SuperAger.
According to the SuperAgers Family Study funded by the American Federation for Aging Research, anyone over 95 years old who has a healthy cognitive capacity and the capabilities to consent to the study is considered a SuperAger. Researchers at the SuperAging Research Initiative at Northwestern define it as anyone in their 80s or 90s who has the brain capacity of someone in their 50s or 60s as measured by cognitive tests. The brain of SuperAgers shrinks at a slower rate than the average aging brain. Those in this category may also have the biological signs of cognitive decline but are resilient to actual cognition changes, Milman says.
However you distinguish them, Milman says the number of SuperAgers worldwide is relatively small, making it difficult to determine with confidence the lifestyle and genetic contributions to a healthy brain span.
“A lot of the research is suggesting that these people who reach these exceptional lifespans probably have a certain genetic predisposition to becoming a SuperAger, and we learned that because there’s a strong family history of longevity in these individuals,” Milman says, citing animal studies that have identified longevity genes including APoE2.
Still, what we do know is that while there is no magic pill today, lifestyle factors are the most foolproof way to extend your brain span and increase your chances of becoming a SuperAger.
How to increase your odds of becoming a SuperAger
Optimize your lifestyle with healthy habits
While there isn’t enough evidence to say that SuperAgers adhere to a set number of lifestyle habits more than their peers, there’s pre-existing research that underscores how healthy habits protect the brain from cognitive decline.
“We have enough evidence at this point that a healthy lifestyle, like getting sufficient sleep, avoiding excess alcohol intake, avoiding smoking, and exercising, is good for you and can extend the period of time that you’re disease-free and can extend somebody’s lifespan,” Milman says.
- Prioritize moving your body to optimize blood flow to the brain and keep your memory strong.
- Sleep at least 7 hours a night to recover brain function and stay alert.
- Eat whole foods and limit highly processed foods that can lead to inflammation in the brain and harm memory.
Take on a new hobby
Learning new things to form more neural connections can keep your brain engaged and improve executive functioning. “Learning a new language or a musical instrument is so difficult that it forces your brain to change,” Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist, previously told Fortune.
In a 2016 New York Times op-ed, Lisa Feldman Barrett, a SuperAgers researcher and author of How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain, said that trying new, difficult tasks can help thicken the regions of the brains responsible for emotional processing and storing memories, emulating those of SuperAgers.
So consider dedicating time weekly to cross-train your brain by trying a new game, hobby, or craft.
See the glass as half full
Preliminary research points to key personality traits of SuperAgers, including being positive and adaptable, according to Milman.
“It has been suggested that SuperAgers are more positive and have a more positive outlook on life,” Milman says. “I think that may be synonymous in some ways with being more resilient and being able to overcome adversity and still have a positive outlook.”
The same results have been found in Northwestern’s SuperAgers study.
“We see that the SuperAgers tend to be pretty resilient and adaptable, so being open to new opportunities is a theme that seems to run through this group,” Emily Rogalski, PhD, neuroscientist and director of the University of Chicago’s Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Research Care Center, previously told Fortune.
Complementary research shows people who think positively about getting older tend to reduce their stress, and their risk of developing chronic conditions, including dementia.
People of any age can embrace challenges and know that change and adaptability will serve them in the future. They can also see aging as a gift, honing in on the positive traits that come with getting older, such as wisdom, self-awareness, and a broader perspective.
Foster a strong social network
The part of the brain responsible for social processing and awareness is larger in SuperAgers, according to Northwestern Medicine.
“These social networks tend to protect people from cognitive decline,” Milman says.
It checks out because loneliness and a lack of strong social connections are becoming an increasingly determinant factor in reducing older adults’ health spans, including their brain spans. Social isolation puts people at a 50% increased risk of developing dementia.
Whether it’s genetics, lifestyle, a combination of both, or a little bit of luck, SuperAgers are onto something and there is a lot we will continue learning from them in the chase for longevity.
“The rest of us can still maximize our health span, or the longevity of our good health, by implementing these healthy lifestyle choices,” Milman says.
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