Watching my parents navigate their later years has been eye-opening. It’s made me think seriously about what I can do now to make sure I stay strong, healthy, and independent when I’m older.

What have I learned?

Well, genetics play a role, but they’re not everything. As Dr. Mehmet Oz once put it, “Genetics loads the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger when it comes to aging.”

In other words, you have more control than you probably think.

The habits we keep today will either set you us for freedom later in life—or make us dependent on others far sooner than we’d like.

Here are five habits worth letting go of right now if independence into your 70s and beyond is the goal.

1. Ignoring exercise

Let’s start with the obvious one.

I’ve written before about how movement is medicine, but it’s worth repeating here: if you neglect exercise, you’re pretty much handing away your future independence.

Don’t believe me? Research by Professor Larry Tucker found that people who engage in vigorous exercise regularly can have cells that are biologically up to nine years younger than those who don’t.

That’s not just feeling younger—that’s your body being younger on a cellular level.

And no, this doesn’t mean you have to become a marathon runner or a CrossFit champion. It means finding ways to move that keep your body strong and your heart working. Walk more, lift some weights, swim, cycle—whatever keeps you consistent.

Think of it as building a savings account for your body. Every workout is a deposit, and one day, you’re going to be glad the account is full.

2. Living with constant stress

This one is sneakier, but just as damaging.

Chronic stress doesn’t just make you feel older— researchers have noted,  “People exposed to chronic stress age rapidly.” 

Stress might feel like it comes with modern life, but there are tools to keep it in check: meditation, breathing exercises, journaling, even just walking away from your phone for a while.

Eastern philosophy has been teaching this for centuries. The Stoics and Buddhists alike emphasized detachment—choosing not to be owned by things outside your control. That’s a lesson worth revisiting if you want to age well.

3. Skipping quality sleep

We tend to treat sleep like a luxury instead of what it really is: a necessity for survival and long-term health.

Matthew Walker, a sleep expert at UC Berkeley, calls sleep “the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day”.

And yet, most of us cut corners on it—scrolling late into the night, bragging about how little rest we can function on, and treating fatigue as normal.

Good sleep hygiene isn’t rocket science. Keep a consistent bedtime, ditch the screens before bed, and treat sleep like the investment in your future it really is.

4. Eating like your future doesn’t matter

Did you know your diet today might determine your brain health tomorrow?

That’s not a motivational poster—it’s what the science says.

Researchers have noted that “Adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been shown to improve health outcomes across many diseases, including cognitive decline and neurodegeneration”.

In simpler language, that means fewer memory issues, fewer hospital visits, and a greater chance of staying sharp and capable into your later years.

It’s not about never enjoying a burger or a pint of beer again. It’s about making your default eating pattern one that supports long-term strength. Think vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains, and healthy fats. Think less about restriction and more about fuel.

Because if you want independence later, you have to stop eating like your body is disposable now.

5. Believing you can “make up for it later”

This last one is the most dangerous habit of all—because it’s built on self-deception.

It’s the idea that you can smoke for a few more years and quit later. That you can keep skipping workouts until you “have more time.” That you’ll “eat better when things settle down.”

But here’s the reality: there’s usually no such thing as catching up on lost health. Once the damage is done, it’s often done. You can’t rewind the clock.

The good news? You don’t need to do everything perfectly. You just need to stop delaying. Start where you are, with what you have. Walk more this week. Swap one unhealthy meal for a healthier one. Go to bed an hour earlier.

Tiny changes compound—and they’re far more powerful than waiting for the mythical “later” that never comes.

Final words

Staying independent into your 70s and beyond isn’t about luck—it’s about choices.

If you can cut out these five habits—ignoring exercise, living in constant stress, skipping sleep, eating poorly, and believing you can make up for it later—you give yourself the best chance of keeping your freedom for decades to come.

The years go by faster than we expect. But the habits you build today are the foundation of your future independence.

The question is: what kind of future do you want to create?