{"id":57465,"date":"2026-07-09T17:52:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/?p=57465"},"modified":"2026-07-09T17:52:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:52:05","slug":"ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/insights\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study","title":{"rendered":"Ageing well: Five science-backed habits from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) study"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbcwm-well well is-style-b-blue-tint-4\">\n<p><strong>Key highlights:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing has tracked more than 24,000 people since 2002 \u2013 its message for your third quarter is clear: staying socially connected is as important to your health as any physical habit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Those who embrace a sense of purpose in their day-to-day activities show measurably slower biological ageing, and the effect is strongest during times of challenge and stress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regular engagement with arts and culture is linked to a meaningfully lower risk of dementia over a 10-year period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if the secret to living longer wasn\u2019t just about diet and exercise, but how you think, who you know and what you do with your time? Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/campaign\/the-future-is-yours-to-shape\">third quarter<\/a> is a time of choices \u2013 a chance to enjoy and make the most of the resources you\u2019ve built over the years \u2013 and at 75, Professor Andrew Steptoe \u2013 a professor of Psychology and Epidemiology at University College London (UCL) \u2013 is living proof that this stage of life can be active, ambitious and intellectually demanding. He leads the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), which has tracked more than 24,000 men and women aged 50 and over since 2002, and which has found that those who disregard ageist stereotypes and embrace a youthful and curious outlook have a better chance of living longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbcwm-well well is-style-b-blue-tint-4\">\n<p><em>Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/campaign\/the-future-is-yours-to-shape\">third quarter<\/a> is the chapter where your focus moves from striving to choosing \u2013 when you have the resources, the perspective and the experience to make the choices that matter to you.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s evidence that not just lifespan but \u201chealthspan\u201d \u2013 the number of years during which a person is healthy and mentally acute \u2013 is rising: a 2025 study issued by the International Monetary Fund, based on samples from 41 countries, found that a 70-year-old in 2022 had the same cognitive capacity as a 53-year-old in the year 2000. It seems that 70 really is the new 50.<sup>1<\/sup> A surprising amount of that control lies in your own hands, as ELSA is revealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prof Steptoe highlights five key learnings from the research which, if adopted, could have a real impact on your longevity and healthspan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-cultivate-your-social-circle\">1. Cultivate your social circle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>People who are socially connected age better:<\/strong> When you&#8217;re younger, it\u2019s easy to take friendships for granted. Work provides a ready-made social context and, if you&#8217;re in a partnership or have a family of your own, you have constant company. But as you get into your 50s, some of this social environment can fall away and you may find that your connections, which used to sustain you, have been neglected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But friendships can quite literally save your life. People who are socially connected and engaged age better, explains Prof Steptoe, while those who are isolated or lonely show a much steeper health decline and are at higher risk of dying earlier. That\u2019s because, according to ELSA findings, social isolation activates stress hormones and inflammation, increasing the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions. The study also reveals that having a flourishing social network correlates with a lower tendency to smoke and a greater likelihood of going to health screenings and keeping immunisations (such as flu jabs) up to date.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI feel quite strongly that maintaining social connections is not something you can leave until later life,\u201d says Prof Steptoe. \u201cYou have to invest in friendships throughout your adult life in order to make sure that they\u2019re there later on, and you obviously must do it for your pleasure as well.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-find-direction-in-life\">2. Find direction in life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Finding purpose helps people to thrive:<\/strong> We all need a reason to get up in the morning. When you retire or your children leave home, that reason often feels like it has evaporated, and you might find yourself struggling to fill your days. But maintaining a sense of meaning is important: ELSA has revealed that the people who thrive in later life are those who describe their day-to-day activities as \u201cworthwhile.\u201d This is backed by research in the U.S.<sup>2<\/sup> which has found a connection between a sense of purpose and slower biological ageing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s good evidence from ELSA and other studies that having a sense of purpose helps you, particularly in times of stress,\u201d Prof Steptoe explains. \u201cIf you\u2019re doing things which you think are worthwhile, then you\u2019ll do better during times of challenge. Keeping your mind busy also helps prevent cognitive decline, when your memory or attention starts to become less sharp, which can be the early signs of progression towards more serious problems, even dementia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, how do you foster your sense of purpose? It could be something big \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/insights\/writing-wartime-novels-transformed-my-retirement\">writing a book<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/insights\/we-went-back-to-college-in-our-60s\">studying for a degree<\/a> \u2013 but it could equally be looking after grandchildren or tending a garden. For many, volunteering provides a satisfying new calling; but your later-life activities don\u2019t have to be altruistic to deliver benefits. Learning tai chi or improving your golf handicap also involves that all-important sense of progress and significance (as does social interactions and the sense of being part of a community, referenced above). Of course, pursuing meaningful activities takes energy, which is why sleep matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-protect-your-sleep\">3. Protect your sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Staying active helps you sleep: <\/strong>As you are likely aware, getting enough high-quality sleep helps protect you against long-term conditions. As you age, sleep patterns change, but you shouldn&#8217;t stress about that (it can end up being counterproductive). Instead, says Prof Steptoe, be mindful that your night\u2019s rest is inextricably linked with how you spend your days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou need to not think about sleep separately, but to think of sleep and physical activity all in the same framework,\u201d he says. \u201cObviously, there are only 24 hours in a day. So, if you\u2019re not sleeping well, then you may be having too low a level of activity in the preceding hours. Try to remove sedentary behaviour \u2013 don\u2019t sit for too long without moving; stand up often; and don\u2019t make your life too energy efficient. When I\u2019m at home, I spend a great deal of time walking back and forth between rooms, even though I know I could do it more efficiently. If I make five journeys that\u2019s better than one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s now perfectly normal for people in their third quarter and beyond to go to the gym, lift weights or go running, but if these activities eventually become more difficult, you can switch to thinking about exercising in less formal ways. Simply taking a walk in nature can be beneficial. A study by Heather Eliassen, professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard\u2019s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that exposure to green space was linked to improvements in sleep, blood pressure and physical ability, as well as lower risks of conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.<sup>2<\/sup> But while these physical habits lay the foundation, your mindset matters just as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-reject-ageist-stereotypes\">4. Reject ageist stereotypes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Self-confidence is good for your health:<\/strong> People in their third quarter of life can face stigma or discrimination. But if your children, grandchildren, friends and neighbours see you embracing new things, the example you set can begin to change perceptions about what you have a right to expect in older age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prof Steptoe says: \u201cYounger people tend to denigrate older people \u2013 on social media, the most common ways in which older people are characterised is as tiresome and slow, getting in the way, dithering and not being productive members of society. These attitudes can become internalised, so that the older person feels they\u2019re superfluous and a nuisance. Whereas there are other societies in which age goes with wisdom and respect. And that\u2019s something we don\u2019t have very much of in our culture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ELSA has found that people who refuse to internalise negative views about ageing are less likely to develop health problems. And indeed, that seems to be the case. \u201cThe population in general is healthier at older ages than it was in the past,\u201d says Prof Steptoe. \u201cPeople are much more active in later life and maintain good cognitive function.\u201d So, build up your confidence; focus on what you can do, rather than on what you can\u2019t; seek out older role models; and challenge harmful stereotypes when you encounter them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-get-involved-in-cultural-activities\">5. Get involved in cultural activities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Art stimulates the brain:<\/strong> One of the newest insights from ELSA is the link between health and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/insights\/i-was-a-pioneering-female-engineer-now-im-an-award-winning-wildlife-photographer\">participation in the arts<\/a><strong> <\/strong>\u2013 activities such as going to galleries, concerts and museums. The ELSA data shows that, for adults aged 50 and older, visiting museums every few months or more was associated with a lower incidence of dementia over a 10-year period, when compared with less-frequent visiting. \u201cWe\u2019re increasingly involved with that area [of research] because it\u2019s important,\u201d says Prof Steptoe. \u201cThere\u2019s a pretty strong relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Attending live sporting events, such as football or cricket matches, is undoubtedly positive in terms of social bonding, but seemingly doesn\u2019t supply the precise benefits you get from looking at paintings or listening to an orchestra or a band. This is because certain regions of your brain are stimulated when you engage in aesthetic activity, increasing feel-good hormones and boosting your resilience against dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the arts aren\u2019t naturally your thing, look on it as an experiment, and keep trying different activities until you find one that piques your interest. Doing something creative can also be beneficial, whether that\u2019s singing in a choir, woodworking or painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-where-next-for-ageing\">Where next for ageing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The beauty of Prof Steptoe\u2019s recommendations is that positive actions are mutually reinforcing: as soon as you build up one area, you\u2019ll start to feel the benefits in another. For example, if you join a choir, you can make new friends, and that leads to more social opportunities, more physical activity and better sleep.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Financial planning plays a crucial role too. Having the resources to pursue meaningful activities \u2013&nbsp;whether that\u2019s travel, education or supporting causes you care about \u2013 gives you the freedom to age on your own terms. It\u2019s not just about having enough money \u2013 it&#8217;s about having a plan in place so you can focus on living well, not on your finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Growing old is inevitable; how you do it isn\u2019t. You can draw your own map for the years ahead by investing in friendships that energise you; seeking out purpose in whatever form it takes; protecting your sleep by staying active and engaged; refusing to fit ageist stereotypes; and making room for art, culture and creativity. Taken together, these small, deliberate changes can lead to extra years on the clock and extra life in every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More information about ELSA, including a podcast series, can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elsa-project.ac.uk\/\" class=\"link-external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">on their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbcwm-well well is-style-b-blue-tint-4\">\n<p>Living well in your third quarter takes intention \u2013 in how you spend your time and how you structure your finances. Talk to us about making the most of the years ahead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sources:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1. Gruss, Bertrand, and Noureldin, Diaa. &#8220;Sustaining Growth in an Aging World,&#8221; <em>IMF<\/em>, 2 June 2025, www.imf.org\/en\/publications\/fandd\/issues\/2025\/06\/sustaining-growth-in-an-aging-world-bertrand-gruss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2. \u201cTime Spent in Nature Can Boost Physical and Mental Well-Being.\u201d <em>Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health<\/em>, 22 Nov. 2024, hsph.harvard.edu\/news\/time-spent-in-nature-can-boost-physical-and-mental-well-being\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Professor Andrew Steptoe explains what the latest research tells us about how to live a happy and fulfilled later life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":57490,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rbcwm_post_date":"","editor_notices":[],"rbc_url_alias":"","rbcbd_featured_desktop_image_position":"","rbcbd_featured_mobile_image_position":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[803,324,246],"tags":[1326,213],"rbcwm_content_owner":[],"rbcwm_need":[770],"rbcwm_segment":[772],"rbcwm_solution":[],"rbcwm_topic":[1342,196],"rbcwm_channel":[],"rbcwm_format":[779],"class_list":["post-57465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-events","category-retirement","category-wealth-protection","tag-ageing-well","tag-longevity","rbcwm_need-live-well","rbcwm_segment-individuals","rbcwm_topic-longevity","rbcwm_topic-your-wealth","rbcwm_format-article"],"acf":{"rbc_ct_service":"","rbc_ct_theme":false,"rbc_ct_topic":false,"rbcwm_subtitle":"Professor Andrew Steptoe explains what the latest research tells us about how to live a happy and fulfilled later life.","rbcwm_post_author":"","rbcwm_custom_breadcrumb_text":"","rbcwm_custom_breadcrumb_link_url":"","rbcwm_disclaimers":{"add_disclosures":"","perspective_disclaimer":"","expandable":"","omit_from_pages":"","disclaimer_footnote":"<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><strong>Please note:<\/strong> Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness. The information provided should not be mistaken for formal planning advice; it is imperative that you seek relevant advice for your own personal circumstances. RBC do not provide tax or legal advice and we would recommend that you seek appropriate advice in these areas. Rates of tax will be based on individual circumstance and tax rules are subject to change. The value of investments, and any income from them, can fall and you may get back less than you invested. Neither simulated nor actual past performance are reliable indicators of future performance. 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Nothing in this report constitutes legal, accounting or tax advice or individually tailored investment advice."},"rbcwm_insight_cta_id":[8231],"rbcwm_pagination":{"next_link":"","next_link_text":"Next article","previous_link":"","previous_link_text":"Previous article"},"rbcwm_video_duration":"","article_time":"","rbcwm_enable_toc":true},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ageing well: Five science-backed habits from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) study &#8211; RBC Wealth Management United Kingdom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/insights\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ageing well: Five science-backed habits from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) study\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Professor Andrew Steptoe explains what the latest research tells us about how to live a happy and fulfilled later life.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/insights\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"RBC Wealth Management United Kingdom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-09T17:52:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-09T17:52:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2026\/06\/scl-person-hiking-in-the-UK-hor-EU.jpg?w=2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"627\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"chloetejada\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/insights\\\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/insights\\\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"chloetejada\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c2bb0a72d12219d75bf7f724d256ed9c\"},\"headline\":\"Ageing well: Five science-backed habits from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) study\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-09T17:52:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-09T17:52:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/insights\\\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study\"},\"wordCount\":1871,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/insights\\\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/23\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/person-hiking-in-the-UK-in-page-3210x2140-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"ageing well\",\"longevity\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Life events\",\"Retirement\",\"Wealth protection\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/insights\\\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\\\/en-uk\\\/insights\\\/ageing-well-five-science-backed-habits-from-the-english-longitudinal-study-of-ageing-elsa-study\",\"name\":\"Ageing well: Five science-backed habits from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) study &#8211; 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