Despite a recent pandemic, there’s much to celebrate about vastly longer lifespans across the developed world.
The average lifespan has increased by three decades since the mid-twentieth century. Three decades!!! That’s an enormous leap forward, and one we don’t celebrate often enough.
Yet with the rise of chronic diseases, longer age spans can be a double-edged sword. A growing movement is afoot to shift the focus to HEALTHSPAN, rather than simply tracking the number of years we live.
Lifespan is the total number of years we live - whereas healthspan is how many of those years we remain healthy and free from disease.
Currently, the average Canadian lifespan is 82 years. Healthspan is a trickier equation. It’s one that’s being studied by researchers as quality of life begins to emerge as THE variable to watch.
Average estimates of living a full and active life range from 65 to 75 years, depending on lifestyle habits (remember that’s an average – that doesn’t mean YOU). These numbers indicate we’re leaving a lot of healthy years on the table.
“We, on average, live up to 20% of our lives unhealthy. Needless to say, that is a long time”. Dr. Tim Peterson
Reinventing the Aging Wheel
Who wouldn’t want to live a full life, mentally sharp, physically strong, and socially vital, and then pass peacefully?
No matter how many years we live, many are beginning to argue that’s the aim - not the extension of life at any cost.
Several medical doctors have begun to champion quality over quantity. One such advocate is Dr. Ezekiel Emmanuel, Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (and brother to Rahm Emmanuel, former chief of staff to Obama).
He doesn’t want medical interventions past the age of 75. To paraphrase his argument, he only wants to live if he can live well. Dr. Emmanuel’s article for the Atlantic is one of the best I’ve ever read on the subject.
Medical intervention is a highly personal decision, of course, and there’s no right answer.
Besides, most of us, if we’re perfectly honest, would love to push the dial on lifespan and healthspan.
Here’s the good news: while no-one knows the future, we can hedge our bets strongly in our favour for both a long AND a healthy life by weaving wellness into our everyday routines.
How to Increase Healthspan
The usual suspects are well known:
· a healthy diet
· daily exercise
· stress management
· quality sleep
Then there are the less-discussed factors, heavyweights in their own right:
· a strong community
· a positive mindset
· a sense of purpose
(Spoiler alert! The upcoming Wheel of Wellness has a few things to say about these healthy, happy habits).
As you’d season a good meal, it’s all about sprinkling well-being into your daily routine: a good night’s sleep here, an outing with friends there, a daily dose of heart-pumping activity, pursuing activities you love, a dash of positivity.
The research shows that the combined power of these little tweaks can quite literally add many good years to your life.
None of us can know what that final number is – but keeping your healthspan in mind tends to move the needle on our youthful years. And in the meantime, a little joie-de-vivre can help to ensure you’ll enjoy the ride.
Further great reading on the subject: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, Atul Gawande
HEATHER MARTIN
Heather is the founder of The Acorn. She’s a licensed naturopath and an unlicensed free thinker. She loves long rambles, far-flung travel, and the road less traveled.
- Get to know her better: Instagram
- Read more: Acorn articles
