Longevity has become the latest fixation among billionaires and celebrities, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and reality star Kim Kardashian.
The drive to extend life while preserving health has helped create a global industry worth hundreds of billions of pounds.
Consumers can spend heavily on longevity assessments, ranging from biomarker blood panels to smartwatches that track oxygen levels and other vital signs.
Yet specialists say you do not need costly technology or testing to gain a useful insight into how well you are ageing.
Several straightforward checks can be done at home, even in front of the television. They include standing on one leg and rising from the floor without using your hands.
These everyday movements depend on the strength, flexibility and balance that help people remain independent later in life, explains Leslie Kenny, co-founder of the Oxford Longevity Project.
Research has also linked weaker performance on such exercises with a higher risk of premature death.
Here is our expert guide to the key at-home longevity tests, what they measure and what your results may reveal about your health.
Experts say you can assess how well you are ageing without buying expensive equipment
Lower yourself to the floor — then rise without using your hands
What it measures: Strength, flexibility, balance and co-ordination
Moving down to the floor and returning to a standing position requires several muscle groups and physical skills to work together. It is also a practical ability when there is no chair or other support nearby.
Ms Kenny describes standing up from the ground without relying on your hands or knees as a simple but revealing longevity test.
In a 2025 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 4,282 adults aged 46 to 75 were scored on their ability to sit down on the floor and stand up again.
Participants could earn five points for sitting down and another five for standing up. One point was deducted when a hand or knee was used for assistance, while half a point was removed for wobbling.
‘A score of eight or more is considered healthy, while lower results have been linked to cardiorespiratory illness in middle-aged and older adults,’ says Ms Kenny.
‘People scoring between zero and four had six times the risk of dying from cardiac disease compared with those who achieved a perfect ten.’
She recommends trying the movement yourself and recording your score.
Check your grip strength
What it measures: Hand and forearm power, along with clues about overall muscle health
Reduced grip strength has been strongly associated with cognitive decline and a greater risk of dementia
Grip strength is one of the most extensively studied indicators of long-term health and longevity.
Studies suggest that hand strength broadly reflects strength in other muscle groups. A weak grip can therefore signal reduced muscular strength throughout the body.
A forceful squeeze also depends on effective nerve signals travelling from the brain to peripheral muscle fibres. For that reason, weaker grip strength has been closely associated with cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia.
You can measure grip strength using a grip-strength gauge, also known as a dynamometer. These devices may be available at GP surgeries or can be bought online for roughly £30.
To take the measurement, squeeze the device as firmly as possible with your dominant hand. The gauge will record the force generated.
Typical grip strength varies according to age and sex. Among women aged 45 to 59, the average ranges from 28.8kg to 25.1kg, while men in the same age bracket average between 42.8kg and 40.7kg.
For women aged 60 to 79, the average falls to between 23.6kg and 19.6kg. Men in that age group typically record between 38.4kg and 32.7kg.
A large international study found that every 5kg decrease in grip strength was associated with a 16 per cent increase in the adjusted risk of death from any cause.
If you do not have access to a dynamometer, Ms Kenny suggests testing your grip by hanging from a bar for one minute.
Unlike a dynamometer, which measures a short burst of force, this exercise requires sustained grip strength. Body weight and shoulder condition also affect the result.
Hold a deep squat
What it measures: Hip and ankle mobility, as well as balance
You can test your leg strength during everyday tasks by lowering into a deep squat and holding the position for two minutes
‘The legs contain the largest muscle groups in the body, and muscle mass is positively associated with longevity,’ says Ms Kenny.
‘Leg strength can therefore act as a useful proxy for the amount of muscle you have overall.’
One practical test is to lower into a deep squat while doing something routine, such as brushing your teeth, and try to remain there for two minutes.
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‘Holding the position shows that your legs have enough reserve to sustain the effort,’ Ms Kenny says.
‘I regularly do squats, and I ask my team to complete ten at the one-hour mark, and sometimes after 30 minutes. It is comparable to taking a two- or three-minute walk.’
If a deep squat feels challenging, begin with short intervals, she advises. Gradually extend the duration and work towards lowering closer to the floor.
Bend forward and reach towards the floor
What it measures: Flexibility in the hips, hamstrings and back
Stand upright, bend forward and see how close your fists can come to the floor.
Move slowly and stop at a comfortable limit, Ms Kenny says. Do not bounce or force the stretch.
Research indicates that the flexibility needed to touch the floor, or come close to it, may help people steady themselves and respond more effectively during a fall.
‘My colleague Muir Gray has written several books about suppleness and flexibility,’ Ms Kenny says.
‘Flexibility matters because, if you fall, you need to be able to catch yourself. Being very stiff and landing flat on your back is clearly undesirable.
‘With greater suppleness, you are more likely to catch yourself and adjust your movement, allowing you to break the fall more effectively.
‘These abilities are interconnected. Strength, suppleness and skill all help you recover when you misstep or take a step that is deeper than expected. It is the capacity to make an instant correction in real time.’
Balance on one leg
What it measures: Balance and control while supporting your body on one side
Among 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75, failing to stand on one leg for ten seconds was associated with an 84 per cent higher risk of death over the next seven years
Stand next to a sturdy support, keep your eyes open and lift one foot from the ground. Time how long you can hold the position safely, then repeat on the other side. Reach for the support immediately if necessary.
The longer you can maintain the stance, the better, says Ms Kenny. As a starting point, she suggests standing on each leg for 20 to 30 seconds, two or three times daily, close to something stable.
You can then gradually increase the hold to between 45 and 60 seconds.
‘During longer attempts, try gently lifting and lowering the other leg while maintaining your balance,’ she adds.
‘Evidence suggests that balance training can improve stability and reduce the risk of falls.’
A 2022 study involving 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75 found that those unable to complete a ten-second one-legged stance had an 84 per cent higher risk of dying during the next seven years.
‘The reason is linked to balance,’ Ms Kenny explains. ‘Walking involves shifting from one leg to the other. If you land awkwardly on an uneven surface, you must recover in a fraction of a second to avoid falling.
‘Standing on one leg builds the strength in each leg and through the core, helping the body remain stable when it encounters a dip, bump or unexpected change in surface.’
Try the downward dog yoga pose
What it measures: Mobility, upper-body loading and control of the trunk
The downward dog yoga pose can significantly engage the external oblique muscles, which help stabilise the trunk and control the spine
‘Activities such as yoga recreate some of the movements involved in falling, helping the body develop muscle memory,’ says Ms Kenny.
‘Over time, the body can learn to respond automatically and regain its balance.’
For those new to yoga, Ms Kenny recommends downward dog. The familiar pose creates an inverted V, with the hands and feet on the floor and the hips raised.
It is fine to keep the knees bent, and the heels do not need to reach the ground.
‘Beginners should aim to hold the pose for 15 to 30 seconds. More experienced practitioners can work towards 60 to 120 seconds,’ she says. ‘For regular practitioners, 30 seconds to one minute is a reasonable target.’
Ms Kenny describes the position as a way to practise body control in an unfamiliar posture, with the head lowered and the body loaded differently than when standing.
‘The most interesting aspect of downward dog is that it is not merely a stretch,’ she says. ‘It also activates muscles that stabilise the spine and pelvis.’
Researchers at the University of Miami studied 30 yoga practitioners and measured electrical activity in their muscles as they performed 11 different poses.
The study found that downward dog generated meaningful activation of the external oblique abdominal muscles, which support trunk stability and spinal control.
Researchers said the pose could also help alleviate lower-back pain and counter broader declines in physical fitness.
