Drink less, move more, quit smoking: your 30s are already too late

Bad habits such as smoking, alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle are not only felt in old age but already at 36 with a progressive worsening of health, both physical and mental.

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You don’t need to wait until old age to feel the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. According to new research out of Finland, harmful habits start taking a toll on your mental and physical health as early as age 36.

Published in Annals of Medicine, the study tracked the lifestyle patterns of individuals born in 1959 in the Finnish city of Jyväskylä. Participants were monitored from young adulthood into their 60s, with data collected at ages 27, 36, 42, 50, and 61. The findings point to a clear and troubling trend: smoking, heavy drinking, and lack of exercise are all closely linked to a steady decline in well-being.

Even at 36, people with unhealthy habits showed signs of mental and physical deterioration

Researchers defined heavy alcohol consumption as more than 875 units per year for women and 1,250 units for men—equivalent to about one can of beer, one glass of wine, or one shot of liquor per unit. Physical inactivity meant doing no exercise at least once per week.

To assess the health impact, researchers used various tools to measure psychological well-being, depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and metabolic risk. The results? Unhealthy participants already showed signs of decline at age 36—the first major checkpoint in the study.

Lack of physical activity was most strongly associated with deteriorating physical health, while smoking was linked more to declines in mental wellness. Meanwhile, excessive alcohol use was damaging across the board—impacting both body and mind.

The study is observational, so it doesn’t prove cause and effect—but the link is strong

The researchers caution that the study is observational and doesn’t prove a direct causal relationship. However, the connections remain compelling and statistically significant. It’s also worth noting that the results apply to people born in the late 1950s and early 1960s—younger generations may respond differently, given the shift in environmental, social, and healthcare factors.

Still, the overall takeaway is simple and urgent: it’s never too early—or too late—to make better lifestyle choices. Even adopting healthier habits in middle age can lead to a longer, more active life.

Source: Annals of Medicine