Only about 20% of a person’s average lifespan is determined by genetics. The remaining 80% depends on lifestyle choices (Herskind AM et al., 1996).

In other words, how you live matters more than how you were born. And that’s what longevity is really about.

In this article, we’ll explain what longevity is, why it matters today, and which practical tools can help you live longer — and better.

What Is Longevity?

Physician and researcher Peter Attia, one of the most influential voices in the field of longevity, defines it through two key dimensions:

• Lifespan: how long we live.

• Healthspan: how well we live during those years.

Living to 100 doesn’t mean much if the last 30 years are marked by pain, loss of mobility, or cognitive decline.

Longevity isn’t about finding a “fountain of youth,” but about maximizing both the length and the quality of life.

Quality of life shows up on three levels:

• Physical: Can I move without pain? Can I physically do the things I enjoy?

• Cognitive: Is my mind still sharp and focused?

• Emotional: Do I feel good, connected, and purposeful?

Aging and Mitochondria

Talking about longevity means talking about aging. And we can’t talk about aging without talking about mitochondria.

Mitochondria are found in almost every cell in the body and are responsible for producing ATP, the energy that keeps us alive. They do this by converting glucose and fats into usable energy.

Aging is closely linked to a progressive decline in mitochondrial function. When mitochondria don’t work properly, problems begin to appear:

• Cognitive and neurological decline

• Chronic inflammation

• Muscle dysfunction

• Impairment of vital organs

• Accelerated aging

Why Focus On Longevity?

Peter Attia explains it clearly:

“We’re all going to have a final decade of life. The goal is for that decade to be as enjoyable as possible. If nothing is done about it, physical and cognitive capacity can decline by up to 50% in the last 10 to 15 years.”

Working on longevity isn’t a future plan. It’s a direct investment in how you live today and how you’ll live tomorrow.

How Can You Increase Longevity?

There are many healthy habits, but when it comes specifically to longevity, three tools stand out for their physiological impact: Physical exercise, sauna, and cold-plunging.

Physical activity and longevity: the importance of muscle mass

Among all habits associated with a longer life — not smoking, eating well, sleeping enough — exercise stands above the rest. Why? Because of its direct impact on muscle mass and strength.

Starting around age 30, we naturally begin to lose muscle: about 3–5% per decade, with a much faster decline after age 60.

According to Attia, maintaining muscle mass and strength:

• Reduces all-cause mortality

• Increases metabolic rate

• Improves insulin sensitivity

• Prevents frailty (sarcopenia)

• Protects bones and reduces osteoporosis risk

• Releases myokines that improve motor and cognitive function and help prevent neuronal decline

VO2 máx.: the gold-standard longevity metric

Attia places special emphasis on one marker: VO₂ max, which measures how much oxygen the body can use during intense exercise and reflects cardiorespiratory fitness.

“Your VO₂ max is more strongly correlated with your lifespan than any other metric I can measure. It predicts your risk of death from any cause, even more than your blood pressure, cholesterol, or smoking status,” explains Peter Attia.

Longevity-focused Training Protocol

• Strength training (2–3 times per week): To build muscle mass and bone density. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses.

• Cardiovascular exercise (150+ minutes per week): Running, walking, HIIT, rowing, or cycling to improve VO₂ max.

• Mobility and flexibility: Yoga or joint-focused exercises to improve balance and reduce injury risk.

Key principle: consistency over intensity. Long-term, sustainable training is far more effective than trying to “max out” every session.

Sauna as a tool to train VO₂ max

Sauna use improves VO₂ max by increasing plasma volume and stimulating red blood cell production. This allows oxygen to be delivered more efficiently to the muscles, improving aerobic capacity.

One study found that using the sauna after exercise for three weeks improved exercise performance — including VO₂ max, running speed, and time to exhaustion — more than endurance training alone.

Other longevity benefits of sauna use:

• Improves sleep quality

• Reduces stress

• Trains the cardiovascular system

• Supports natural detoxification processes

Cold-Plunging and Mitochondria

Mitochondria regulate key aging processes, and improving their function has profound long-term health benefits (Sun et al., 2016).

Cold-plunging stimulates mitochondria through the activation of brown fat, a specialized tissue responsible for generating heat and maintaining body temperature.

The process is simple:

• Cold exposure activates brown fat

• Brown fat is rich in mitochondria

• Mitochondria consume fat and glucose to produce heat

As a result, cold-plunging increases caloric expenditure, improves insulin sensitivity, and promotes the reduction of white fat.

Other longevity benefits of cold-plunging:

• Reduces chronic inflammation and oxidative stress

• Regulates cortisol

• Strengthens the cardiovascular system

• Builds stress resilience

• Increases dopamine

• Sustains higher energy levels

(*) People with cardiovascular conditions should not perform ice baths, as it may pose health risks. When in doubt, consult your physician or cardiologist.

Conclusion

It’s never too late to work on longevity.

The earlier you start, the better the results — but any moment is a good moment to take action. Longevity isn’t built overnight; it’s trained day by day.

Start building a stronger, more resilient, healthier version of yourself — one session at a time. Discover our Ice Baths and Portable Wet Saunas.

(*) Alfa Humans is designed to support a healthy lifestyle, not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases or medical conditions. Our ice baths and saunas are not medical devices. Always consult your physician before starting any of these practices.