Dr. Peter Attia: Improve Vitality, Emotional & Physical Health & Lifespan | Huberman Lab Podcast

Lifespan vs. Healthspan

Dr. Peter Attia distinguishes between lifespan and healthspan, emphasizing the importance of both in achieving longevity. Lifespan is straightforward, referring to the number of years one lives, while healthspan involves maintaining physical, cognitive, and emotional health. Attia argues that healthspan is crucial for quality of life, as it encompasses more than just the absence of disease 1. He suggests that contemplating mortality can enhance one's presence and quality of life, as it encourages living for meaningful virtues rather than superficial achievements 2.

I think I've got five to ten years of wiggle room that I can extract. If I do all of the things that I've written about in that book, I bet I can stretch my life out ten to 15 years at the maximum.

--- Peter Attia

   

Strength Training

Strength training is a cornerstone of healthy aging, according to Peter Attia. He emphasizes the importance of exercises that target type two muscle fibers, which are crucial for maintaining speed and strength as we age 3. Attia highlights the significance of eccentric strength, which helps prevent falls by improving stability and control during movements like stepping down 4.

You have to be doing strength training that taxes those fibers, you have to be doing reactivity training, you have to be doing explosive training and ideally some.

--- Peter Attia

   

Time Perception

Time perception plays a vital role in emotional health and aging well. Peter Attia discusses the challenge of being present, noting that modern distractions often pull us away from meaningful moments 5. He suggests that savoring finite moments, like playing with children, requires deliberate attention and can enhance happiness 6.

There's a very finite number of these moments you're going to have, so you want to savor every one of them.

--- Peter Attia