The science
Every claim in the calculator is sourced.
What follows is the framework we use to look at a life — six domains we measure and map — followed by the citation library behind every behavioral factor. Each cited source is verified at build time; if a URL stops resolving or a title shifts, the build fails before shipping.
The framework
The shape of your life, across six domains.
The headline number is useful, but it’s a single dimension. Real life isn’t one dimension. So alongside the number, we render your answers as a hexagonal “risk map” — your shape across the six domains that consistently show up in longevity research.
The map is built around two overlaid shapes. The smaller, dashed shape is where you are now. The larger, filled shape is where you could be if you committed to the changes you’re willing to commit to. The visual gap between them is your headroom — and most of the time, it’s lopsided. Strong in some domains, weak in others. That’s the point.
Sample shape, not based on any specific user. Yours fills in when you take the calculator.
Movement
Exercise frequency and how much you sit during a typical day.
Physical activity and prolonged sitting are independently linked to all-cause mortality in cohort studies — being a regular exerciser does not cancel out being chair-bound the rest of the day.
Sleep
Average nightly sleep duration and consistency.
Habitual short sleep, very long sleep, and irregular sleep patterns are each associated with worse cardiometabolic and cognitive outcomes over decades.
Nutrition
Diet quality, from home-cooked-and-vegetable-heavy down to mostly processed.
Diet is among the largest contributors to premature death globally. The framing here is honest: reasonable, not perfectionist.
Mental
Social connection and engagement with healthcare.
These are proxies for stress regulation, support systems, and early detection of silent risks (hypertension, prediabetes, depression).
Safety
Driving patterns and risk-related behaviors.
Most longevity tools skip this. They shouldn't — auto crashes are a leading cause of preventable death under 45, and distraction multiplies it.
Substances
Smoking and alcohol consumption.
Smoking remains the single most-studied factor in longevity research. Alcohol is the area where consensus has shifted most in the last decade.
We deliberately picked six because the shape needs to be readable on a phone. More domains means a denser polygon and a less honest visual story.
The factors
Factor
Smoking
Smoking is associated with a substantially shorter life expectancy — research consistently estimates a loss of about a decade compared with lifetime non-smokers.
Year-impact range
~10.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Sources
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Alcohol
Recent global health analyses are associated with the conclusion that no level of alcohol consumption provides a clear longevity benefit, with risk rising as consumption rises.
Year-impact range
~5.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Sources
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Exercise
Regular physical activity is associated with a meaningfully lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with sedentary lifestyles, with benefits beginning at any level of activity.
Year-impact range
~3.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Sources
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Sedentary time
Prolonged sedentary time is associated with elevated mortality risk independent of structured exercise — sitting and exercising are separate factors.
Year-impact range
~2.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Sleep
Habitual nightly sleep of 7 or more hours is associated with better long-term cardiometabolic and cognitive health in adults.
Year-impact range
~2.5 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Sources
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Driving
Distracted driving — including phone use behind the wheel — is associated with sharply elevated crash risk and is a leading contributor to preventable traffic fatalities.
Year-impact range
~2.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Diet quality
Poor diet quality is associated with a substantial share of premature deaths globally, with improvements at any level of dietary quality conferring measurable benefit.
Year-impact range
~5.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Sources
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Healthcare engagement
Regular preventive primary care is associated with earlier detection of conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which is associated with better long-term outcomes.
Year-impact range
~1.5 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.
Factor
Social connection
Social isolation and loneliness are associated with a significantly higher risk of premature death, with effect sizes comparable to other established mortality risk factors.
Year-impact range
~3.0 years from worst to optimal
Midpoint of a defensible research range; conservative by design.
Causation declared as
Associated with
We don’t say “causes” unless the cited source explicitly does.
Sources
Social connection
WHO·who.int
Limitations
The research summarized here describes statistical patterns at the population level. Individual outcomes vary widely based on factors not captured by this calculator. For your specific situation, consult a healthcare professional.