Longevity Basics
Adapted from Bryan Johnson
The simple version: protect sleep, eat real food, move every day, reduce obvious harms, and make routine do the heavy lifting.
Sleep and rhythm
- Treat sleep as the base layer of health.
- Reserve enough time in bed to make real sleep possible.
- Keep the same bedtime, preferably before midnight.
- Avoid eating right before bed.
- Make dinner calm and easy to digest.
- Stop screens an hour before sleep.
- Keep the bedroom cool.
- Avoid bright light after sunset.
- If sleep is difficult, read a physical book before bed.
- Build a quiet wind-down routine: bath, reading, light walk, or music.
- Use morning and evening routines. The body likes clocks.
Food and metabolism
- Avoid added sugar; it hides in almost everything.
- Skip the convenience-store diet.
- Avoid fried foods.
- Eat mostly whole foods: vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, and berries.
- Walk briefly after meals, or do a few air squats.
- Finish coffee before noon.
- Drink water deliberately.
- If obesity is a serious constraint, discuss GLP-1 options with a clinician.
Movement and body
- Get your heart rate high regularly.
- Lift heavy things.
- Stretch daily.
- Stand up straight.
- Avoid sitting for long stretches.
- Get sunlight when you wake up, while UV is low.
- Protect your skin in midday sun.
Hygiene and environment
- Water pik, floss, brush, and tongue scrape morning and night.
- Go to the dentist.
- Take shoes off at the door.
- Circulate air in rooms.
- Avoid plastic where you reasonably can.
- Protect your hearing; the world is loud.
Attention and risk
- See at least one friend every week.
- When stressed, breathe and learn to calm the body.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Do not smoke anything.
- Never text while driving.
- Turn off notifications.
- Limit social media.
- Avoid long-distance travel where possible.
- Add habits slowly. Baby steps first.
- Do less. Most things do not work.
Bonus: get bloodwork checked with a clinician if you want a measured baseline.