Walking, swimming: 5 best sports to live longer published by Harvard experts - Yahoo Style France

Regular physical activity is important for healthy aging.Experts from Harvard University have listed the top 5.

Walking, swimming. Harvard experts identified the 5 best sports for a long life

At 65, life expectancy without disability, in other words, the number of years people can hope to live without being limited by health problems, is 11.8 years for women and 10.5 years for men in 2024, according to data from the Department of Research, Education, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees).

Aging in good health is essential, including a balanced diet and regular physical activity.According to official recommendations, you should do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance activity every day, such as brisk walking, for example, at least 5 days a week, but also muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week.

Do you want to take steps to take care of yourself and prolong your life, but you don't know which sport to choose?On the website of Harvard Health Publishing, the media outlet of Harvard Medical School, which is none other than the famous Harvard University Medical School, experts have revealed the top 5 physical activities that should be prioritized.

Longevity: Here are the activities to prioritize for healthy aging

You don't need to be an experienced athlete to get started!According to Harvard experts, these activities are accessible to everyone, regardless of age or fitness.They also have many benefits: they help control your weight, improve balance and mobility, strengthen bones and protect joints.

The top 5 best sports for longevity, according to Harvard experts, include;

An article from Harvard University states, “You could say that swimming is the best form of exercise, especially for joint and back pain.

For good reason, "Being in an aquatic environment allows you to play with the properties of the water, especially the Archimedes thrust, which relaxes the spine, thus reducing the compression at the back level", explained the sports health expert and president of "Sape and Health of the Swimming France" Femme Acuel Jacques Bigot.

Dr., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. I-Min Lee also says that "swimming is beneficial for people with arthritis because it puts less stress on the body."

This Chinese martial art has both physical and mental benefits. Dr. Yi-min Lee says: "It is especially good for the elderly because balance is important for good health, and we tend to lose it as we age," says Dr. Yi-min Lee.

Healthy aging includes cognitive health: a study published in 2025 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) also highlighted the benefits of tai chi on brain function and memory.

Muscle strengthening

With age, muscle mass decreases.However, the latter "guarantees freedom, mobility and the ability to do all kinds of exercise", neurologist Émilie Steinbach explained to Femme Actuelle.

So it's important to continue to maintain your muscles as you age."The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, which makes it easier to keep the weight off," added Dr. Ai-Min Lee. However, he recommends starting with a light weight, from 500g to 1kg.“You should be able to lift the weight 10 times without difficulty,” the Harvard article states.Then increase the load and do not hesitate to seek advice from a specialist in case of doubt or a health problem.

Accessible to more people, walking has numerous health benefits: "It uses not only the legs, but a large number of muscles, because it also activates the postural muscles and the upper limbs!", sports trainer Sophie Escobar told Fame Ecole.

But that's not all: "Walking also improves cardiorespiratory fitness, helps combat a sedentary lifestyle, helps you lose or maintain weight, and improves blood circulation," added the trainer.

Harvard University's advice for starting walking: Get a pair of shoes with good support and start walking 10 to 15 minutes a day until you're walking 30 to 60 minutes.

Kegel exercises

They are known in the context of pelvic floor recovery, important during pregnancy and postpartum: Kegel exercises.But they are also part of the activities recommended by Harvard experts for healthy aging for women and men.What are their advantages?They strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder, which prevents insomnia.