Do You Really Want to Live to 120? The Truth About Healthspan vs. Lifespan

Everywhere I turn these days, someone—usually a billionaire with more money than they know what to do with—is talking about living to 120 or beyond. People like Bryan Johnson, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg are investing billions into the quest to slow aging and extend human life.

Longevity has become one of the hottest topics in the world. Maybe it’s because AI knows everything I research, listen to, or talk about, so my news feeds and podcasts are now filled with experts promising ways to extend my life. Every day, there’s a new supplement, a new biohacking trick, or a new scientific breakthrough claiming it could help us live longer.

But here’s the question I keep asking myself:

Do I really want to live to 120?

The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no.

Living Longer Isn’t the Goal

What interests me far more than lifespan is healthspan.

Healthspan refers to the number of years we remain healthy, active, independent, and able to do the things we love. To me, that’s what really matters.

I don’t want to spend the last twenty years of my life sitting in a chair, dependent on medications, and unable to travel, swim, snorkel, or enjoy adventures.

I want to remain strong enough to carry my own luggage, curious enough to keep exploring the world, and healthy enough to enjoy every stage of life—including becoming a grandmother.

The Medication Trap

One reason I pay attention to healthspan is that I see what happens when health issues begin to pile up.

Many people I know are taking eight, ten, or even more medications every day.

I often listen to these doctors’ podcasts discussing how modern medicine works. Physicians are trained to follow protocols. If you have a particular condition, there is usually a medication for it. The problem is that medications often come with side effects. Then another medication is prescribed to treat those side effects. Before long, a person can find themselves taking a handful of pills every day.

Of course, medications can be lifesaving and necessary in many situations. But my personal goal is to avoid that path as much as possible through prevention.

So how do we increase our chances of staying healthy as we age?

Exercise: Use It or Lose It

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for extending healthspan.

There are two components I focus on:

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise keeps the heart and lungs healthy and supports endurance as we age.

For me, that means swimming, one of my favorite forms of exercise.

Strength Training

After age 50, adults typically begin losing muscle mass every year. This loss accelerates as we get older.

Why does this happen?

Our muscle fibers naturally shrink with age, and hormone levels such as testosterone and estrogen decline. The result is less strength, poorer balance, and an increased risk of falls.

That’s why lifting weights has become non-negotiable for me.

Muscle isn’t just about looking fit. It’s about maintaining independence.

Sleep: The New Superpower

Sleep has become another hot topic in the health world—and for good reason.

Most experts recommend seven to eight hours of sleep per night.

Sleep supports:

• Cognitive processing
• Physical repair
• Emotional regulation
• Immune function
• Memory consolidation

I’ve also noticed that my sleep improves when I avoid television, scrolling on my phone, or consuming too much information right before bed. One habit I’ve adopted is finishing dinner at least three hours before bed.

The older I get, the more I realize that quality sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.

Nutrition: You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet

Nutrition may be one of the biggest factors influencing healthspan.

If there is one thing I consistently hear from longevity experts, it’s this:

Reduce sugar.

Excess sugar contributes to inflammation throughout the body. Chronic inflammation has been linked to many of the diseases people fear most as they age.

Ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks, and highly refined carbohydrates may be convenient, but they often come at a cost.

I try to focus on real food, protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and minimizing added sugars whenever possible.

Am I perfect? Absolutely not.

But I believe small, consistent choices made over decades matter more than occasional bursts of perfection.

Meet the Man Behind the “Don’t Die” Movement

Have you come across Bryan Johnson and his documentary Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever? He has turned himself into a human experiment in the quest to slow aging and extend life.

His daily routine includes strict meal timing (nothing after 11 a.m.), extensive medical testing, dozens of supplements (Which he also sells), intense exercise, early bedtimes (8:30 p.m.), and constant monitoring of his body’s biomarkers. Reports have estimated that he spends around $2 million a year on his anti-aging protocols.

Watching Bryan Johnson’s video on his daily routine made me wonder: Is this really the future we want? Or are we becoming so focused on avoiding death that we forget to enjoy living?

So, Do I Want to Live to 120?

Not really.

Part of me wonders whether we’ve become so obsessed with living longer that we’ve forgotten to ask what those extra years will actually look like.

If I make it to 120, do you know how much exercise I’d need to keep moving? How many laps would I need to swim? How much weight lifting would I have to squeeze into my week? And let’s not even talk about the plastic surgery industry. If people start living to 120, are we all supposed to spend decades trying not to look like old prunes?

Will 120 be the new 60?

Maybe.

But I suspect the real question isn’t how long we can live. It’s whether we can remain healthy, independent, curious, and excited about life while we’re here.

I’d rather be an active, adventurous 90-year-old than a miserable 120-year-old counting pills and doctor’s appointments.

But only if I can remain healthy, active, independent, and engaged with life.

I don’t dream about simply adding years to my life.

I dream about adding life to my years.

If I can still be swimming, traveling, learning, writing, and embracing new adventures at 90, then I’ll happily keep going.

For me, that’s what Gutsy Living is all about—not living forever, but living fully.

What are your thoughts? Please comment below.