Have you ever met someone in their 60s who looks 42? Or, maybe that person is you. Some people maintain great health well into their later years of life. This can be a result of genetics, lifestyle factors or socioeconomic factors that enable someone to have a lower “biological age” than chronological age. Biological age is a number calculated based on your health status, whereas chronological age is based on how many years old you are.
“Chronological age is the progress of time, and you can’t change that,” says Dr. Eugene Lipov, Chief Medical Officer at Stella Mental Health, who is also an expert in post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine and a longevity researcher. “Biological age is how fast your body is aging. You can reverse your biological age, which is amazing.”
Various tests are available to help you determine what your biological age is, and — if your biological age is not the number you hope to see — various training activities are available to help you improve it. Below, explore factors that influence your biological age, how to find out what your number is and how to make improvements to help you age well.
[READ: 10 Tips to Live to 100]
What Influences Biological Age?
Your biological age is a number that reflects the health status of your body. More specifically, it sums up the amount of cellular damage you’ve accumulated throughout your life. Many doctors and researchers say biological age paints a more complete picture of how well you’re aging rather than your chronological age. Key factors that influence biological aging include:
— Genetics: Hereditary predispositions to certain types of cancers, autoimmune conditions, high blood pressure and heart disease
— Lifestyle: Physical activity, the foods you eat and whether you drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes
— Health factors: Weight, vital sign measurements and any chronic conditions or diseases you may have
To determine how well you are aging, there are a number of tests and activities you can do to get an assessment of your overall well-being and biological age in comparison to your chronological age.
[READ: 6 Surprising Things That Age You]
Starting Out: How to Assess Your Aging
Aging well implies that you are “able to live life, be happy and be strong in work and play,” says Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, a sports medicine specialist, orthopedic surgeon and codirector of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute in Los Angeles.
The concept of aging well takes into account the overall quality of life, and having a low biological age can imply that you are aging well. If you are unsure whether or not you are aging well, Mandelbaum recommends starting with a quick lifestyle scan, such as taking a moment to think about ways you may be helping or hurting your health on a daily basis.
For instance, think about if you are supporting your body through regular physical activity, proper nutrition and adequate rest. If you notice that you are not doing these things, consider prioritizing daily movement, a nourishing diet and quality sleep to feel and age better. Additionally, if you notice you are doing something that appears harmful to your health, try to incentivize yourself to form new habits. If you are feeling good in your body and mind, you may still want to take an assessment of your lifestyle habits. Think about what’s working for you and what you want to continue prioritizing.
Post scan, consider if you want more information about your biological age. If so, you may want to pursue testing. This can include performing simple at-home self-tests, such as at-home fitness tests and playing cognitive games, or seeking out cognitive assessments, or even getting blood work for extra information.
[See: 8 Tiny Lifestyle Changes That Deliver Huge Health Rewards.]
Physical Activity Tests to Assess Aging
You can conduct at-home tests that measure your strength, aerobic fitness, mobility and balance to help you understand how well you are biologically aging and highlight areas of your health to improve. Some tests assess your health in just one of these areas, whereas other options look at multiple factors.
Strength Tests
As the name implies, these two tests measure your strength. You can use these tests to evaluate your health by counting the number of sets or repetitions you can perform and comparing them to standard numbers for your age group.
1. Squat test
This test measures lower body strength and endurance.
To do the squat test:
— Stretch and warm up your body.
— Stand in front of a chair, with your feet shoulder-width apart and face away from the chair.
— Lower yourself to a 90-degree angle like you’re about to sit.
— Stand back up.
— Repeat and count the number of times you complete a full squat.
— Compare your results with the chart below.
| Gender and Age | Excellent | Average | Poor |
| Women 50-55 | 28 or more | 14 to 17 | 4 or less |
| Men 50-55 | 36 or more | 22 to 24 | 12 or less |
| Women 56-65 | 25 or more | 10 to 12 | 2 or less |
| Men 56-65 | 32 or more | 17 to 20 | 8 or less |
| Women 65+ | 24 or more | 11 to 13 | 1 or less |
| Men 65+ | 29 or more | 15 to 18 | 6 or less |
How to improve your results: If you’re performing below average for your age, consider adding a stretching routine to your activities. Do the full body stretching two to three times per week.
2. Push-up test
This measures your upper body strength and flexibility.
To do the push-up test:
— Place a mat or beach towel on the floor.
— Stretch and warm up your body.
— Get into a push-up position by putting your hands shoulder-width apart, extend your legs (or get into a kneeling position) and keep your back straight.
— Gently bend your elbows until your chest is close to the floor, and push yourself slowly back up.
— Repeat as many times as you can, without resting while maintaining good form.
— Compare your results with the chart below.
| Gender and Age | Excellent | Good | Average | Poor |
| Women 50-59 | 29 or more | 15-29 | 6-14 | 2-5 |
| Men 50-59 | 34 or more | 25-34 | 15-24 | 8-14 |
| Women 60-69 | 19 or more | 5-19 | 3-4 | 1-2 |
| Men 60-69 | 29 or more | 20-29 | 10-19 | 5-9 |
How to improve your results: Add a combination of strength training exercises to your routine 2 to 3 times per week, resting for 24 to 48 hours between each session.
[READ: Best and Worst Exercises for Older Adults for Balance, Strength and Longevity]
Aerobic Tests
Aerobic fitness tests measure your cardiovascular health and fitness. These include activities like timing how long it takes you to walk a mile or measuring your heart rate during a workout. For example, VO2 max testing is a way of looking at the maximum volume of oxygen your body consumes during intense exercise. This measurement is generally considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.
1. 1-mile test
Studies have shown your walking pace is a good determination of your fitness level. Measuring how long it takes to walk a mile can give a rough indication of aerobic fitness, but it does not replace lab-based V02 max testing.
To do the 1-mile test:
— Find a flat 1-mile course to walk (it’s important to not do this test on a treadmill). You can find a standard quarter-mile track (four laps equals one mile), or measure the distance with a pedometer or your car’s odometer.
— Wear good walking shoes and clothing that doesn’t restrict movement.
— Stretch and warm up your body before starting your walk.
— Set a timer on your phone or watch as you begin the course and time how long it takes you to walk one mile at the fastest pace you can comfortably walk.
— Compare your results with the chart below.
| Gender and Age | Excellent | Good | Average | Fair | Poor |
| Women 50-59 | 14:42 or less | 14:42 to 15:36 | 15:37 to 17:00 | 17:01 to 18:06 | more than 18:07 |
| Men 50-59 | 13:24 or less | 13:24 to 14:24 | 14:25 to 15:12 | 15:13 to 16:30 | more than 16:30 |
| Women 60-69 | 15:06 or less | 15:06 to 16:18 | 16:19 to 17:30 | 17:31 to 19:12 | more than 19:12 |
| Men 60-69 | 14:06 or less | 14:06 to 15:12 | 15:13 to 16:18 | 16:19 to 17:18 | more than 17:18 |
| Women 70+ | 18:18 or less | 18:18 to 20:00 | 20:01 to 21:48 | 21:49 to 24:06 | more than 24:06 |
| Men 70+ | 15:06 or less | 15:06 to 15:48 | 15:49 to 18:48 | 18:49 to 20:18 | more than 20:18 |
How to improve your results: If walking a mile is difficult or the time is not in line with where you’d like your aerobic fitness levels to be, adding activities like walking, dancing, swimming, cycling and running are a few options to consider.
2. VO2 max tests
The VO2 max test evaluates your aerobic fitness and can provide an estimate of your cardiovascular health relative to age norms, but it is not a precise or diagnostic measurement. This test measures the amount of oxygen your body is able to utilize during high-intensity exercise.
To measure your VO2 max:
— The most accurate way to test VO2 max is in a lab. It is typically performed while wearing a mask and walking at a fast pace on a treadmill.
— Fitness trackers like Apple, COROS, or Garmin watches can provide estimates of VO2 max, but these are approximate and should be interpreted cautiously.
— Compare your results with the chart below.
| Gender and Age | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile | 95th Percentile |
| Women 50-59 | 17.3 | 19.9 | 23.4 | 27.6 | 32 | 35.9 |
| Men 50-59 | 22.8 | 27.1 | 32.6 | 39.7 | 45.6 | 50.7 |
| Women 60-69 | 14.6 | 17.2 | 20 | 23.8 | 27 | 29.4 |
| Men 60-69 | 19.8 | 23.7 | 28.2 | 34.5 | 40.3 | 43 |
| Women 70 and older | 13.6 | 15.6 | 18.3 | 20.8 | 23.1 | 24.1 |
| Men 70 and older | 17.1 | 20.4 | 24.4 | 30.4 | 36.6 | 39.7 |
How to improve your results: A high VO2 max indicates that your body is effectively and efficiently using oxygen during intense bouts of exercise and, therefore, is a measure of the level of your cardiovascular fitness and endurance. If your VO2 max is lower than recommended for your age group, consider making lifestyle adjustments or talking to a doctor about your health and fitness to help you improve over time. If you have already been tracking your VO2 max and notice that it has fallen over the years, this may not be a cause for concern. Consider your current benchmarks and try not to compare yourself to your younger self.
Mobility Tests
Mobility tests assess whether or not you can perform certain movements – like sitting on the ground and reaching for your toes – to give you an idea of how mobile and flexible you are.
1. Sit-and-reach test
This assessment helps to determine how flexible you are, especially in the lower back, hip and hamstrings.
To do the sit-and-reach test:
— Put a piece of painter’s tape on the 15-inch mark of a yardstick.
— Place the yardstick on the floor, with the soles of your feet aligned at the 15-inch mark.
— Gently reach forward with your arms as far as you possibly can and hold the position at least one second.
— Repeat at least three times, tracking the farthest you are able to reach.
— Compare your results to the chart below.
| Gender and Age | Average Score |
| Women 50-54 | 20 inches or more |
| Men 50-54 | 17.5 inches or more |
| Women 55-64 | 19 inches or more |
| Men 55-64 | 16.5 inches or more |
| Women 65+ | 17.5 inches or more |
| Men 65+ | 15.5 inches or more |
How to improve your results: Add 2-3 full body stretching sessions to your weekly movement schedule, including stretches for hamstrings, hips, calves, shoulders, neck and back.
2. Sit-to-stand test (STS)
This test assesses your strength and speed, along with your balance. It looks at how quickly you can stand up unassisted from a chair, sit down and repeat for 30 seconds.
To do the sit-to-stand test:
— Find a chair with a straight back and get a stopwatch or timer ready (most cell phones have a timer).
— Set the timer for 30 seconds.
— Without using your arms or having assistance, stand up from the chair and sit back down.
— Count the amount of times you are able to complete a full sit to stand process.
— Compare your results to the chart below.
| Gender and Age | Average Score |
| Women 60-64 | 12 |
| Men 60-64 | 14 |
| Women 65-69 | 11 |
| Men 65-69 | 12 |
| Women 70-74 | 10 |
| Men 70-74 | 12 |
| Women 75-79 | 10 |
| Men 75-79 | 11 |
| Women 80-84 | 9 |
| Men 80-84 | 10 |
| Women 85-89 | 8 |
| Men 85-89 | 8 |
| Women 90-94 | 4 |
| Men 90-94 | 7 |
How to improve your results: In addition to using this test to evaluate your aging status, you can use it and similar motions to improve your strength. Lipov says that one of the primary movements he recommends that older people practice to improve their strength is getting in and out of a chair without assistance. By focusing on using your legs to lift yourself up, you can strengthen your lower body, he adds.
“If you can get the quads stronger, your chance of getting injured is much lower,” Lipov says. “If you have really strong quads, you’re not going to fall over.”
Balance Tests
Evaluating your balance can give you insights into how well you are aging, and may provide information about other facets of your health.
“Balance is a holistic representation of your health,” says Katharine Forth, the CEO of ZIBRIO, a company that provides stability scales to assess people’s balance. “If something’s not right in the system, it gets expressed in your balance.”
1. One-legged balance test
Also known as the flamingo test, the one-legged balance test is a good at-home test to assess your balance and strength.
To conduct the one-legged balance test:
— Stand on one leg and time how long you can stay in that position before you need to put the other leg down or reach out for support.
— Note: It’s smart to conduct this test next to a wall or stable surface, so that support is nearby when you need it. For an extra challenge, time yourself with your eyes closed.
Desired score: If you are between the ages of 60 to 69, standing for at least 27 seconds is considered normal for your age. If you can stand longer, such as 30 seconds, that’s great, he adds. But if you can’t make it that long, or last as little as ten seconds, you should consider practicing to improve your score for the future.
How to improve the results: When it comes to using this test to evaluate how well you are aging, Lipov says the longer you can stand on one leg, the better.
“If they’re not stable, if they cannot stand on one foot, that means that either the muscles are weak, the brain is not working right or both,” Lipov adds. “Those are bad things, but you can start training (to improve) that. You can start exercising, standing by a wall and standing longer. You can assess it when there’s a problem, then you can do something about it.”
2. Stability scales
You can also test your balance by standing on special stability scales, such as those by Forth’s company ZIBRIO.
To conduct the stability scale test:
— Users stand still on the ZIBRIO scale — with both feet on the ground — for 60 seconds, while the technology measures for slight adjustments in their stance that affect balance.
— After the time is up, the scale will provide users with a 1-10 score of their balance, with 10 being a low-risk and 1 being a high-risk score.
How to utilize the results: Getting a perfect 10 scale is almost impossible, Forth says, but you should still aim to get as high a score as possible. If you have a low score, however, it’s wise to avoid risky situations that put you at risk of falling throughout the day. You may also consider how you can improve your score later on, and if there are strengthening activities, lifestyle modifications or medical adjustments you can make to help you reach your goals.
“If your balance drops down, it’s a really great opportunity to go, ‘What’s going on with my body? Something’s not quite right,” Forth says. “You can (then) act on that a little bit earlier.”
She adds that sometimes, addressing your balance can be a good first step to help you address larger health ailments that might be plaguing you — that may feel too overwhelming to address, or that you may not be aware you are dealing with yet.
“Sometimes, balance is that easier topic to address because it doesn’t seem so scary or judgmental,” Forth says. “If you can make sure you’re doing things to get your balance right, then that’s going to make lots of other things right too.”
How Meaningful Are Aging Test Scores?
With any of these tests, by comparing your scores to recommended benchmarks for your sex and age group, you can determine what areas of your body are aging well for your age, and what areas you could work on.
Making positive changes to your aging and fitness tests is possible, and just because you are older doesn’t mean that you can’t thrive in the years to come. While your health goals may look different from what they did a few years ago, there are still impressive improvements that can have massive benefits on your well-being.
“Whether you’re 29, 39, 49 or 79,” Mandelbaum says, “the importance of aging well at every step is critical for all of us to get to our ultimate finish line, which is what longevity is about.”
Cognitive Tests to Evaluate Healthy Aging
It’s not just your physical body that changes with age, but your mind and cognitive function. Some cognitive challenges can be more common as you get older, and risks for cognitive diseases like dementia can increase, too. If you’re worried about your cognitive health as it relates to aging, it can be a good idea to talk to your doctor about getting a professional cognitive assessment. If you aren’t ready for medical help, you can conduct at-home tests as well.
Some at-home tests to evaluate your cognitive health include:
— The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam. The SAGE was developed by researchers at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, and is a written exam that tests your memory, mathematical and thinking skills. It is downloadable online.
— The Clock Draw Test. The clock drawing test is what it sounds like: you draw a clock. The tricky part is, you need to draw this from memory. The test then measures your ability to draw the clock based on your ability to close the circle, include all 12 numbers, include all 12 numbers in the correct order and place the clock hands facing the right direction. Typically, a loved one will administer this test as it is hard to self-evaluate your drawing.
— Simple Memory Tests. These include activities such as naming three objects in a room, taking a few minutes to have a conversation with a loved one (or engage in another distracting activity) and then reciting the words back to your loved one when asked, are ways to test your cognitive function at home. It’s a good sign if you can remember the words. If you can’t, you may want to look into a more professional assessment.
In addition to using cognitive tests to evaluate your age, you can use cognitive games to improve your brain function. Lipov recommends games like:
— Brain HQ. Brain HQ provides various thought-provoking exercises to “train” your brain, and scores your performance. By playing multiple times, you can try to improve your scores and compare them to others in your age range.
— Tetris. A timeless game, playing Tetris has been studied as a potential therapeutic intervention for patients who have been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. Research also suggests it can increase the brain’s hippocampal volume, which may help with memory and improve cognition with age. If playing Tetris to improve your biological age, don’t worry so much about your score or what level of the game you make it to, Lipov says. The important thing is that you are engaging in the activity and forcing your brain to think actively.
[READ: Should You Get a Full-Body MRI?]
Blood Tests to Evaluate Healthy Aging
If you aren’t satisfied with test results thus far, or are simply looking for more data on your biological aging status, consider taking a blood test to evaluate your biological age.
— Epigenetic clock tests. These blood or saliva tests measure changes in DNA methylation patterns, which are chemical modifications to DNA that change with age. This can provide insight on your health status and biological age. Various brands offer epigenetic clock tests, including GrimAge and TruAge. You’ll order these tests to take at home, and then send in a blood sample for processing. Keep in mind that the clinical significance of epigenetic clock tests is still being researched.
— CRP tests. C-reactive protein, or CRP, tests measure levels of C-reactive protein in the blood. This protein can be related to inflammation in the body, and lower levels can imply that you have lower levels of inflammation, which is good. Studies have shown that healthy older adults have low CRP levels, but that these levels still tend to be higher than those of healthy younger adults. In some cases, a doctor may order this test for you.
— Routine lab work. Such as blood tests conducted at your annual physical, can offer insight on your health and aging process. If you have any concerning levels on these tests, your provider should flag these and talk to you about helpful next steps.
These blood tests may sound appealing to people who are curious about their health, but they may not be the best idea for everyone. Because at-home blood testing can come at a couple hundred bucks a pop, it’s smart to consider if this is something you can afford before making the purchase.
“If I was going to put money into anything that has the highest input, I would do epigenetic testing,” Lipov says, adding it is smart to do one initial test and then check back in on your progress about five years later. “But you don’t have to.”
Additionally, you’ll want to have an honest conversation with yourself about whether or not you will use the results to better your health — which could make or break your investment. Cheaper alternatives, like getting a gym membership, prioritizing your sleep or shopping for more fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, can also do wonders for your biological age, Lipov says.
“Those are very simple, real things you can do,” he adds. “If you can improve your sleep, if you can exercise, eat better and make sure you don’t have a significant psychiatric condition, you’re gonna be fine.”
Tips to Age Well
While many factors contribute to the aging process, some things to consider for overall well-being include:
— Eat a balanced diet. Eating a balanced diet can fuel your body and mind, protecting your overall health.
— Stay well hydrated. Hydration is necessary for your body to work properly. Carrying a bottle of water with you may help you remember to hydrate, especially if your sense of thirst has dimmed with age.
— Get regular exercise. Daily movement like strength training, yoga or walks can help you build muscle and improve your aerobic fitness. Both of those are essential for keeping your muscles, bones and heart strong with age.
— Practice good sleep hygiene. Your body and mind can’t function at their best without breaks. Quality sleep provides an essential break and rest, and is important all throughout life. Lipov encourages people not just to focus on getting a substantial number of Z’s, but to make sure that a good proportion of their sleep, ideally 20%, is “deep sleep.” Using fitness watches or sleep-tracking rings can give you insights on the quality and type of sleep you are getting each night.
— Manage stress. Stress can cause physical and mental health side effects, and make you feel unsafe in your body. Managing stress through healthy coping mechanisms or seeking professional mental health support if your experience turns severe can be essential in protecting your health and well-being.
— Keep track of your physical health. Monitor your numbers like blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol so you can track your health status and help you take ownership of your body. Making regular appointments with your primary care provider can help you stay up to date on this type of health information.
Remember that you have the power to improve your biological age, even if the number isn’t where you would like it to be right now.
“The question is: do you want to live longer and are you interested in quality of life?” Lipov says. “If you’re not, then you probably don’t need to do anything, but you’re going to die sooner. If you are, you should optimize now — that trajectory should be changed as early as you can do it.”
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How to Test Whether You’re Aging Well originally appeared on usnews.com
Correction 08/01/25: A previous version of this story was updated with the name for Stella Mental Health.
Update 10/03/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
