People who feel 40 at 70 never do these 8 things that quietly age you faster

You know that woman in your community garden who’s pushing 70 but runs circles around everyone else — literally and metaphorically?

I’ve met her. More than once.

And every time, I find myself curious: what is she not doing that so many others are?

After years of working in finance, staring down deadlines and rarely moving my body for more than a coffee refill, I felt a decade older than I was. It wasn’t until I made some small, consistent changes that I started to feel the age I actually was—and eventually, younger.

Turns out, aging well isn’t just about genes or luck. It’s about the habits you avoid just as much as the ones you adopt.

Here are 9 quiet but powerful ways people accidentally age themselves—and what the truly youthful never do.

1. They don’t stew in stress

We all get stressed. But some people pitch a tent and live in it.

Researchers have found that chronic stress doesn’t just feel terrible — it actually accelerates biological aging. Not just mentally, but down to your cells.

Think about that: stress can literally speed up your body’s clock.

And no, the solution isn’t pretending you’re fine when you're not. It’s about building habits that help you release tension regularly.

For me, it’s trail running and journaling—yours might be a nightly bath, calling a friend, or dancing around your kitchen to Stevie Wonder.

Anything that reminds your body: “You’re safe.”

As Rudá Iandê writes in his newly published book Laughing in the Face of Chaos, “Fear is not something to be overcome, but an essential part of the human experience.”

That idea stuck with me. Stress doesn’t have to be our enemy — but letting it take up permanent residence absolutely is.

2. They don’t avoid exercise—or rely on walking alone

Look, walking is great. I’m the first one to tell you to get your steps in.

But those people who seem to defy aging well into their 70s? They’re not just walking—they’re getting their heart rate up on purpose.

Regular vigorous exercise has been shown to keep you biologically younger — by as much as nine years compared to sedentary folks.

That stat blew me away.

You don’t have to run marathons or sign up for CrossFit. But if your heart’s never pumping faster than a stroll, it might be time to mix in a bike ride, interval training, or dance class that makes you sweat and smile.

Youthful energy isn’t just about looking the part—it’s about building the internal engine that keeps your body strong and sharp.

Movement is non-negotiable.

3. They don’t scroll in bed

You know what feels harmless but wreaks havoc over time? Endless scrolling before bed.

I’ve caught myself doing it more than I’d like to admit — checking one last message or watching just one more video. But the science is clear: blue-light exposure in the evening messes with your melatonin and wrecks your sleep quality.

And sleep is where the magic of repair and rejuvenation happens.

The thing is that this kind of disruption doesn’t just make you groggy — it chips away at your body’s ability to regulate everything from mood to metabolism.

Over time, that takes a toll.

Youthful 70-year-olds protect their evenings like sacred time. No screens. No endless stimulation. Just a wind-down routine that helps their bodies do what they’re designed to do: rest and restore.

4. They don’t treat emotions like enemies

You can spot someone who’s spent a lifetime pushing their feelings down. It shows—in their posture, their tension, and sometimes in their eyes.

I used to be one of them. I believed that holding it together meant stuffing things deep and pretending I was “fine.” But here’s the deal: ignoring your emotions doesn’t erase them. It just lets them fester in your body.

Reading Rudá Iandê's book that I mentioned above reminded me of something powerful: “Our emotions are not barriers, but profound gateways to the soul—portals to the vast, uncharted landscapes of our inner being.”

That hit me right in the chest. Literally.

People who stay vibrant into old age don’t numb, suppress, or shame their emotions. They listen to them. They process them. They let them move through and teach them something.

If you want to stay youthful, emotional honesty isn’t optional—it’s medicine.

5. They don’t pretend that sleep doesn’t matter

Let me be blunt: if you regularly skimp on sleep, you’re fast-tracking your aging process.

We already touched on screen time, but it goes deeper. Poor sleep weakens your immune system, impairs memory, and makes it harder to regulate weight, mood, and energy.

It also messes with your skin. (Hello, puffy eyes and dullness.)

Youthful 70-year-olds are religious about sleep. They prioritize it the way others prioritize work deadlines or morning coffee. They have wind-down routines, consistent sleep/wake cycles, and know when to call it a night.

I used to wear my insomnia like a badge of honor—“just wired that way!” But once I started treating sleep like a boundary and not a luxury, my mood, focus, and energy shifted dramatically.

Want to feel 40 at 70?

Start protecting your sleep now like your life depends on it—because it does.

6. They don’t live on autopilot

Have you ever driven home and realized you don’t remember the last few turns? That’s autopilot. It saves brainpower in the short term—but drains your spirit over time.

People aging gracefully stay engaged. They learn new things. They challenge their minds. They notice their surroundings.

One woman I met at a local hiking group told me she picked up Italian at 65 just because she liked how it sounded. Another started ceramics classes after retiring from her law career. Their energy was magnetic.

Why? Because learning and novelty stimulate the brain and feed the soul. Routines are helpful — but when every day feels like a copy-paste version of the last, your body starts to mirror that stagnancy.

Want vitality?

Shake up your inputs. Stay curious. Say yes to newness.

7. They don’t ignore their body’s messages

Aches, tension, fatigue—  they’re not inconveniences to push through. They’re signals.

I used to push my body like it was a machine.

Headache? Power through.
Back pain? Just stretch and get back to work.

But tuning out discomfort doesn’t make it disappear. It just delays healing—and compounds the damage.

One lesson that stuck with me from Rudá Iandê’s book is: “Your body is not just a vessel, but a sacred universe unto itself.” That line reframed everything.

Youthful people in their 70s don’t bully their bodies. They listen. They adjust. They treat rest, hydration, and physical care as daily rituals—not chores.

It’s not about babying yourself. It’s about having the self-respect to respond when your body speaks up.

8. They don’t try to be perfect

Let me guess: you’ve tried to do it all right. Eat well, work hard, stay positive, show up for everyone.

But perfection is exhausting. It’s also aging. Holding yourself to an impossible standard means you’re constantly stressed, constantly performing, and never at peace.

The women and men who feel decades younger at 70?

They’re not flawless. They’re real. They’ve made peace with their imperfections—and in doing so, found freedom.

As Rudá puts it, “When we let go of the need to be perfect, we free ourselves to live fully—embracing the mess, complexity, and richness of a life that's delightfully real.”

There’s something ageless about authenticity. It softens your face, relaxes your body, and lights up your presence. Embrace that, and the years start to feel less heavy.

Final thoughts

There’s no magic serum or one-size-fits-all secret to aging gracefully—but there are patterns.

The people who thrive into their 70s and beyond tend to avoid things that deplete them. They tune into their bodies, honor their emotions, and live like they still have something to learn.

And if you’ve been doing some of the aging habits we just talked about?

Join the club. This isn’t about shame—it’s about choice.

Because you’re never too young—or too old—to start treating your life like something precious.

Youth isn’t a number. It’s a mindset. And you get to choose it.