10 health changes that are still worth making in your 60s – and what damage can actually be undone

Sometimes, it feels like the chance to sort your health out has passed you by. So much wellbeing advice is focused firmly on those under-40, as laborious fitness routines and longevity techniques are often aimed at the early-prevention stage.

But what if you're over 50 and want to make a change? Is it too late?

Absolutely not.

In your 50s, 60s and beyond, there’s plenty that can still be done to not only improve your health going forward, but to repair damage you've done in previous decades. In short: it's never too late to make healthier choices, and always well worth doing.

Once you've hopped over the 'Is it too late?' hurdle, there are probably many other questions you're asking when it comes to bettering your health. How should you go about this? Which areas are best to focus on? What should your health priorities be in your 60s? We asked experts for the answers. Ahead, they reveal the 10 health habits that will make a difference, even if you've spent your life thus far not giving a toss.

Quitting smoking

'The first habit that is absolutely worth quitting in your 60s is smoking cigarettes,' says Dr Jeffrey Chester. 'Quitting won't fix existing lung damage. However, the body still benefits from smoking cessation, and the health risks decline over time.'

'Smoking is the clearest example of something genuinely repairable, and it matters directly to what I do,' agrees surgeon Dr Brandon Richland. 'Smoking damages circulation and slows healing, and it's one of the biggest risk factors I screen for before any surgery. But quitting, even at 60, measurably improves circulation and healing capacity within weeks to months, not years. I've had patients quit specifically to qualify for a procedure, and their bodies respond faster than they expect.'

Building muscle mass

'Muscle mass is something people wrongly assume is a lost cause by their 60s,' says Dr Richland. 'It's genuinely rebuildable with resistance training and adequate protein, and it matters far beyond aesthetics, since muscle mass affects surgical recovery, mobility and fall risk. I see patients in their 60s and beyond build real strength back with consistent effort, it just takes longer and more deliberate work than it did at 30.'

Dr Jason Snibbe, an orthopaedic surgeon, always advises patients in their 60s to take up strength training and keep an eye on their protein intake. 'We lose muscle mass every year. It’s important to strength train with resistance. Kettle bell and resistance bands can be an inexpensive way to increase strength and stay safe. Three times a week is a good habit. Protein consumption in your diet is critical to maintain muscle mass. It’s the building blocks so you can get more muscle and maintain it.'

Wearing sunscreen

Let's cover the bad news first: if you've been a prolific tanner and have long scoffed at SPF recommendations, the damage cannot be easily undone by simply slathering on the sunscreen. Issues caused by sun damage, including skin cancer, need to be addressed by a professional. 'Sunscreen won't erase damage that has already occurred,' dermatologist Dr Jeffrey Fromowitz tells Good Housekeeping. 'Longstanding sun damage such as solar lentigines, or age spots, and significant textural changes from decades of UV exposure typically require in-office treatments like lasers, peels, or targeted topical prescriptions for real improvement, rather than over-the-counter products.'

What starting to wear SPF will do, however, is help to prevent further damage. 'The benefits begin almost immediately,' shares Dr Fromowitz. 'When you apply sunscreen consistently in your 60s, you stop further UV-induced damage to collagen and elastin, slowing the progression of new wrinkles, sagging and pigmentation. Studies on daily sunscreen use in adults have shown measurable improvements in skin texture and reduced visible photoaging within about a year of consistent use.'

Increasing movement

'You don’t have to run marathons or do strenuous workouts to experience heart health benefits from exercise,' explains Dr Sirisha Vadali, a cardiologist, lipidologist, and the program director of HonorHealth’s Cardiometabolic Program. 'Benefits can even be experienced when going from very little daily exercise to walking just 10 to 15 minutes a day. My recommendation is starting at whatever level you’re at and working to gradually build up to 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, along with strength training twice weekly if it is safe for you. Consistency should always be the goal, not perfection.

'It is never too late to make changes that support your heart’s health,' she adds. 'There are still many of the biggest cardiovascular risk factors can still be improved in your 60s. Managing your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, increasing physical activity, stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight can all help lower your risk of a future heart attack or stroke.'

Caring for your skin

Don't panic if you've been a straight up soap-and-no-moisturiser person your whole life – if you want to get into skincare, it's not too late and you'll still see benefits. Dr Fromowitz recommends a decent moisturiser and some form of retinoid if you're just getting started in your 60s.

'The skin barrier weakens with age because oil production declines and the outer layer loses its ability to retain water,' he notes. 'A consistent moisturising routine started at any age improves hydration, softens the appearance of fine lines caused by dryness, and strengthens the barrier against irritants within weeks. It is one of the fastest return-on-investment habits in skincare, at any age. My favourite moisturisers are rich in ceramides. Retinoids are the other major intervention worth mentioning. Prescription-strength retinoids or over-the-counter retinol can still meaningfully improve collagen production and skin texture when started later in life. It takes longer to see results compared to starting in your 30s or 40s, typically three to six months of consistent use, but the biological response to retinoids does not disappear with age.'

One more thing: giving up smoking will significantly help your skin, too. There's another reason to ditch the cigs.

Cutting back on alcohol

Another intervention with a whole host of benefits, from better skin to improved sleep. 'A habit that's absolutely worth changing in your 60s is cutting down on the amount that you drink,' says Dr Chester. 'Alcohol has a greater impact on health as we age. It can also interfere with common medications.'

'It is never too late to avoid excessive alcohol,' agrees Dr Ali Sovari. 'This can meaningfully improve cardiovascular health.'

Knowing your numbers

If you're the type to procrastinate doctor's visits and avoid looking at any stats in case they're bad, you're certainly not alone. But know that information is power. And no matter how long it's been since your last check-up, a medical professional shouldn't berate you for the delay and will always say it's worth coming in. Along with regular check-ups, in your 60s, it's a good idea to monitor your vital stats at home, too.

Dr Vadali advises: 'Know your numbers: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and elevated blood sugar can develop without obvious symptoms, which means that there are people who might not realise that they’re at risk. Knowing your numbers and working with your doctor to manage them through lifestyle changes and medication when needed can significantly reduce your cardiovascular risk and help catch potential problems sooner.'

Sticking to a Mediterranean diet

'Follow a Mediterranean-style diet,' says Dr Sovari. 'Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fish and healthy fats can reduce cardiovascular risk.'

There will always be a new 'trendy' diet, but the Mediterranean diet is one that's backed by a whole load of scientific evidence – and adapting to it is a habit all the doctors we spoke to recommended.

Maintaining a healthy weight

Cardiologist Dr Tisa Saha notes that weight management is a meaningful change you can make at any age – and that remains important. 'A lot of the lab results that are known to correlate with risk are changeable targets, which are often left alone and ignored until they compound into significant problems,' she says. Weight loss should be discussed with your GP and based on test results – some issues can be helped with weight management while others need clinical treatment.

'It depends on what the problem is,' Dr Saha explains. 'If it's hypertension, most of the time people need clinical treatment. We start medications and talk about lifestyle modification. We recommend weight loss — studies show that on average, for every kilogram of weight you lose, you drop roughly about one point in your blood pressure. We recommend increasing physical activity, stress management, and reducing salt intake.

'If it's your lipid profile that's abnormal, we talk about the Mediterranean diet, or the portfolio diet, as ways to reduce LDL cholesterol. If it's prediabetes, it's usually caloric restriction and increased exercise that help regulate that number.'

Improving your sleep hygiene

Just because late nights and pre-bed screentime may be deeply entrenched habits, doesn't mean you should simply give up on the hopes of ever getting a good night's sleep. 'Sleep is essential for recovery and tissue repair,' notes Dr Snibbe, which becomes all the more important in your 60s.

The lifestyle changes that often come as part and parcel of your 60s – such as retirement – can disrupt your sleep, giving you a good opportunity to hit the reset button. Sleep expert Dr Catherine Darley says: 'Poor sleep habits can definitely be reversed in your 60s (and beyond!). This is important, because poor sleep contributes to aging via some specific mechanisms.'

Reading the above, you might notice a recurrent theme: improving your health remains a good idea at any age, and it's never too late. Dr Richard Stefanacci, a geriatrician and the medical director of Living Independently For Elders (LIFE), is about to turn 65 – so knows this on both a professional and personal level.

He shares: 'The line offered to patients most often is the old proverb: the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best time is today. Very little of what accumulates in the first six decades is beyond meaningful improvement, and the 60s are a decade where the returns on change arrive faster than most people expect.'