• A healthy heart age is key to longevity, and most Americans are aging faster than expected.
• A cardiologist said understanding your heart age can help you reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Try a free online calculator to find your heart age. Improve it with simple habits like daily walking.

Your heart could be older than you think, limiting your potential lifespan by up to a decade. But a cardiologist says a few simple lifestyle changes could help.

New research from Northwestern University School of Medicine shows the average American's heart health makes them four to seven years older than their calendar age.

That's because of risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and sedentary routines, driving up their risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US.

You can check your own heart age for free online using a test developed by Northwestern researchers.

If you don't like what you see, incorporating daily habits like regular exercise can improve your heart age, said Dr. Sadiya Khan, a preventive cardiologist and professor of cardiovascular epidemiology who led the team that developed the calculator.

"As we think about our growing, aging population, some people age faster than others, and slowing that down can have a lot of impact for health," Khan told Business Insider.

How to tell if your heart is healthy

Usually, doctors measure heart health in percentages using your vital signs. For instance, a patient with a 7.5% risk of heart disease is considered intermediate risk.

But that doesn't translate well for the average person.

"It's a challenging piece of information to communicate and grasp. What does it mean to have a risk of 7.5%?" Khan said.

That's why Khan's team made an age predictor. It's easier to come up with a plan for your heart health if you understand in real terms what it means for your life expectancy.

The researchers studied 14,000 adults in the US aged 30 to 79, with no prior history of heart disease. They found that, on average, women's heart health age was about four years older than their chronological age, and men's heart age was about seven years older than their chronological age.

The gap widened for people with a lower income and education level; their heart age was as much as 10 years older than their chronological age.

Khan added a caveat: it's important to note that the calculator is meant to be a more accurate predictor of heart health risk, but it's not designed to be used alone to manage your health. Talk to your doctor about your risk.

"There's no exact number that means people should be alarmed or be concerned, but provide some context for what it means to have a heart age that's five years older or 10 years older," she said.

Simple ways to boost heart health

Knowing your heart health age can help you find simple, actionable steps to potentially boost longevity, Khan said.

"We wanted to be sure it was a tool to motivate heart-healthy behavior," she said. "There are things we already know that can help with your heart age and improve it."

To boost your heart health:

• Stop smoking: If you're a smoker, quitting is the number one change you can make to improve your heart health, Khan said. That's not just tobacco — marijuana has been linked to worse heart health, even in edible form.
• Optimize your workout: Regular physical activity, including low-intensity movement like walking, helps to strengthen your heart, and every added minute counts.
• Get the right macros: Whole foods rich in fiber and healthy fats like omega-3s help support your heart. Avoid processed foods and added sugars.
• Manage your stress: Rest and relaxation are crucial to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol low and prevent strain on your heart.

If you're already young at heart, following the above tips can help you stay that way for years to come.

"If your heart age is a good spot, it's about strategies to maintain it," Khan said.

• The CEO of Crunch said a routine of weightlifting, walking, and Pilates keeps him healthy at 58.
• His supplement stack includes creatine, a hot trend for muscle-building, brain health, and longevity.
• He said long-term fitness is about functionality, with a balance of strength, mobility and cardio.

Marine Corps. vet Jim Rowley has been lifting heavy weights for decades, but his first few Pilates classes left him frustrated, sweating, shaking — and eager to go back for more.

Rowley is the CEO of worldwide gym franchise Crunch Fitness, and has more than three decades of experience in the fitness industry. After his military service, he rose through the ranks at 24 Hour Fitness, becoming division president before going on to help launch UFC Gym, later taking the lead at Crunch.

He told Business Insider that the lengthening, strengthening effect of Pilates has helped him ease the achy joints and tight muscles from decades of hard work in the gym and at the office.

"It changed my life, to be honest with you. I became much more limber," he said.

Crowley, who recently turned 58, said Pilates is now one of the foundational building blocks in his four-part longevity routine.

He also changed up his weightlifting routine, honed his supplement stack, and has a cardio routine rooted in his military experience.

"As you're active and aging, why would you not want to have more strength, more muscle, and greater mobility?" he said.

Pilates classes: to build muscle and mobility

Rowley said starting Pilates about three and half years ago helped him focus on muscles that hadn't gotten much attention over the years, including stabilizers in the the hips.

"Pilates was an opportunity for me to try to lengthen, strengthen, and activate some of the smaller muscles," he said.

Now, he goes to class twice a week for an hour per session, often with his wife.

The Pilates classes he takes are mostly attended by women, Rowley said. He expects to see the gender balance shift: the challenge and resistance training in the workouts offer a lot for men who want to work on building muscle and athleticism.

"There's a strength component instead of just the mobility and the balance," he said. "The biggest benefit for me has been my core strength has gotten through the roof."

The improved stability has helped relieve back pain, which can come from muscle imbalances.

Dumbbells: for better range of motion during strength training

Rowley still lifts weights, but has tweaked his routine so that instead of focusing on a big bench press as a point of pride, he's working more with dumbbells and machine exercises.

Dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion, which can help promote mobility and joint health. Exercise machines provide stability and a fixed range of motion, so you can focus on targeting specific muscle groups.

Both types of exercise are good for building muscle, with less strain or injury risk than intense barbell work.

"I don't lift for ego anymore," Rowley said.

Creatine supplements: for a healthy brain and body

Rowley is a self-proclaimed "supplement freak" who takes an estimated 40 pills a day, from a multi-vitamin for nutritional balance to probiotics for a healthy gut.

The list is carefully curated from his decades of experience in the fitness industry.

At the top of his must-have list is creatine, a naturally-occurring compound in the body that provides energy to the muscles so you can push through a few more reps. It's also a hot trend for longevity thanks to recent research suggesting it helps support a healthy brain and heart as we age.

"There's a lot of supplements out there that are pure garbage," Rowley said. "Creatine to me is like a life source. I can tell you that my muscles feel better, my muscles fill up, I have the ability to go longer in the gym."

Rowley's supplement regimen also includes:

• Vitamin D, which supports energy and the immune system.
• Magnesium, linked to better sleep and muscle health.
• Glutamine, for improved muscle recovery.

10,000 steps a day: for cardio without joint pain

Fitness for a long, healthy life isn't just about lifting big weights, or even having sculpted and lean muscles. Good cardio health is a crucial part of longevity, and benchmarks of aerobic fitness like VO2 max are increasingly a source of bragging rights in the fitness world.

For Rowley, it comes down to functionality, and whether you can keep up with the activities of your life.

"We look at the aesthetic of lean muscle and muscle mass as, wow, that person spends time in the gym, but could they run a mile? Could they run two miles or three miles?" he said.

His definition of peak fitness goes back to the Marine Corps. standard of military fitness: the ability to do 20 dead-hang pull-ups, rep out 100 crunches in a minute (or hold a plank for more than three minutes) and run three miles in 18 minutes.

However, as we age, running can put stress on the joints, so Rowley said he focuses on walking as much as possible, aiming for 10,000 steps a day for low-impact cardio and to reduce his time sitting. Walking is cardiologist-approved exercise, and the benefits for a healthier heart start at as few as an extra 500 to 1000 daily steps.

Hitting the full 10,000 steps a day is a big commitment to stick to consistently, but Rowley said the payoff is better resilience and functionality as you age.

"It's not easy to do, but what's harder: making that decision now or dealing with negative health in your older years? So choose your hard," he said.

• Millennial and Gen Z shoppers are becoming obsessed with compression socks.
• The product has historically been recommended to people with mobility issues to increase blood flow.
• New stylish versions of the socks appeal to younger, health-conscious consumers.

Hot girls wear…compression socks?

Designed to help reduce inflammation and increase blood flow, the once-niche, medical-grade product is frequently spotted in nursing homes and hospitals.

Now, compression socks are becoming increasingly popular among millennials and Gen Zers. It shouldn't surprise anyone who has been paying attention to the former's shopping habits.

Millennials are big fans of products that promote longevity and help them be proactive about their health. They sport Apple watches, bring earplugs to concerts, and track their VO2 max when they work out.

Sock brands are capitalizing on consumer interest with stylish new designs that are far from your grandma's compression socks, combining the benefits of compression with fashion cute enough for TikTok. Here's why younger audiences can't get enough.

Compression socks go mainstream

Kate Garfield, the 38-year-old co-owner of Violet Hour Pilates in Brooklyn, told Business Insider she's been regularly wearing compression socks to teach Pilates since she sprained her ankle a few years ago. She also pulls the socks out for long-haul flights.

"When I was barefoot and teaching, I kept twinging my ankle, so I started wearing them," Garfield said. "It definitely helped in that recovery, but then I noticed I was also just feeling a lot more energized through my day."

Wearing compression socks, Garfield said she doesn't feel the urge to clench and roll her feet, which helps her feel more stable. She can leave a full day of teaching without feeling sore.

So, how do they work?

Standing, sitting, or lying down for a long time can cause blood to pool in the feet and lower legs, creating swelling and discomfort.

Compression socks encourage the blood to get moving again by putting pressure near the foot and ankle and gentler pressure up the leg, squeezing the blood back toward the heart.

They're often recommended for expectant mothers, people with varicose veins, post-op patients, and older people, who may need extra help with healthy blood flow.

The feeling of pain relief you might get from wearing compression socks can be a result of better circulation in your legs, lower inflammation, and less stress on your muscles, Dr. Anahita Dua, a vascular surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, told BI.

A younger consumer base

Like Garfield, Sam Sarabi, a 25-year-old nurse from Temple, Texas, told BI she started experimenting with compression socks in 2023. She was searching for a way to help ease the pain she experienced in her thighs and calves, which popped up in the middle of her shifts and persisted when she got home.

She didn't find a compression product that worked for her until Julia Gretars, a nursing student she connected with online and the founder of Juy Compression, sent her a pair of the brand's compression sleeves in November 2024. The sleeves are like compression socks, but they don't have feet.

She said the sleeves leave her pain-free and with more energy. "I noticed a difference within the first day," Sarabi said.

There's not much evidence that compression socks are good for already-healthy people who aren't struggling with swelling or circulation problems, but there's little downside as long as the socks fit well.

Signs that you might benefit from compression socks include a feeling of tightness in the legs and feet, your shoes not fitting properly, and visible swelling (if you poke your leg with a finger, you'll see an imprint).

There's still a good reason people in their 20s and 30s are stocking up on compression socks: they can be a game changer if you're pregnant or do a lot of exercise.

For exercise, the evidence is growing that compression socks might have a small benefit for easing soreness after a workout, although they may not improve performance, according to Dua.

The socks' squeezing effect on your legs mimics how your muscles naturally help to pump blood during active recovery, like walking, flushing out by-products of hard exercise like lactate to ease soreness and get you back to the gym faster.

"It definitely wouldn't hurt if someone has low-grade inflammation after a run," physical therapist Jessica Chellsen said.

Compression socks got a glow-up

The compression sock renaissance is, in part, driven by new brands that appeal to younger consumers.

For instance, in 2016, then-30-year-old Andrew Ferenci founded Comrad, a popular compression socks company, because he couldn't find an aesthetically pleasing version. The socks helped with his aches from travel and working out, but the plain black and beige pairs he found at Duane Reade left something to be desired.

Ferenci said he created Comrad to offer a "compression sock that has all the benefits of a medical product and meets all the requirements, but is stylish and functional and has all the benefits of a lifestyle or athletic sock that you would wear."

Ferenci told BI that millennials make up most of Comrad's customer base, but its products are also gaining popularity with Gen Z shoppers.

The other major player is Bombas. Some of its socks are designed for everyday wear, and others for health or exercise support. Bombas offers new colors and patterns every season.

Tam Conlin, Bombas' senior vice president of merchandising and design, told BI its compression products, which were first introduced in 2019, have grown 231% in the past three years, and the category is plus 31% for 2025 alone. BI couldn't independently confirm those percentages.

Conlin also said millennial shoppers make up Bombas' biggest growth market.

Conlin thinks compression socks are resonating with younger consumers because they are interested in "products that help you live more healthfully."

"I think that mindset and consumer behavior is something that's really been taken on by the millennial generation and Gen Z, where there's specific products for specific needs that can really help you, and it's kind of like a life hack," she said.

Garfield, who wears Bombas' compression socks, said the look is a game changer.

"I think I used to hide them or want to not have them as visible, but they just look like socks. And they're cute," she said.

Sarabi is also excited that more compression products are on the market, particularly in cuter styles.

"In the majority of healthcare systems, you can only wear one color," she said. "I think if you could bring in a little bit of personality to design, it makes things fun."

How to pick the right compression socks for you

Here are some tips if you want to get in on the trend:

• Find the right fit and pressure. Look for socks that are snug but don't completely cut off your circulation.
• Avoid compression if you have difficulties with wound healing, and ask your doctor if you're unsure whether compression socks are right for you.
• Don't scrunch them up. Make sure they're aligned with your foot and aren't too long or too short so they can work as designed.