Healthspan vs. Lifespan: Where to Start for Healthy Aging | Ep. 1

We often think about living longer, but what about living better? In this very first episode of Yoga for Longevity, we’re diving into the difference between lifespan (the number of years you live) and healthspan (the years you feel healthy, mobile, and capable).You’ll hear why this distinction matters, what the latest research tells us, and how simple choices in movement and breath today can shape how you’ll feel 10, 20, even 30 years from now.This isn’t about chasing picture-perfect poses or extreme workouts. It’s about finding ways to move and breathe that support your whole life — so you can keep doing the things you love, whether that’s traveling, gardening, playing with grandkids, or simply feeling steady on your feet.In this episode, I share:Why focusing on healthspan changes the way we think about agingA 2024 study showing the 12-year gap between lifespan and healthspanStories from my years teaching yoga in senior living communities (including a 94-year-old inspiration named Trudy!)How yoga supports strength, mobility, balance, breath, and nervous system healthWhat you can expect from future episodes of Yoga for LongevityAbout MikahI’m Mikah Horn, a yoga therapist with a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and more than a decade of experience teaching adults 50+ how to stay strong, mobile, and at ease in their bodies. Through private sessions and my online membership, Lifelong Yoga Online, I help students focus not just on living longer, but on living better.Resources & Links2024 Study on Healthspan vs Lifespan: JAMA Network OpenJoin me inside Lifelong Yoga Online for therapeutic yoga classes and guided programs designed for healthy agingConnect with me on YouTube: Lifelong Yoga with Mikah