• Home
  • >
  • News
  • >
  • How to Measure Your Biological Age at Home: Eight Simple Tests
How to Measure Your Biological Age at Home: Eight Simple Tests

How to Measure Your Biological Age at Home: Eight Simple Tests

Your birth year’s just a number, but your biological age, how old your body really feels, spills the beans on your true health. It’s all about how your muscles, heart, and mind are holding up, shaped by your daily choices.

Fancy finding out how youthful you are? You can measure your biological age at home with eight easy challenges, no lab kit needed!  

What is Biological Age and Why Measure It?

Biological age is your body’s real score, how well your systems are ticking over compared to your years on the clock. A 50-year-old with a biological age of 40 is smashing it; one at 60 might need a boost.

These tests check strength, flexibility, balance, and brainpower, key signs of ageing and longevity. Track them to see if your habits are keeping you spry.

🔑 Key Takeaways: Biological Age Basics

  • 🧬 Biological age shows your body’s true state.
  • 🏋️‍♂️ Simple tests measure fitness, flexibility, and reflexes.
  • ⏳ Boost it with diet, exercise, and smart living.

Eight At-Home Tests to Measure Your Biological Age

Below are your eight tests, seven physical ones, plus an extra logical test to round it out. Each includes how to do it, your goal, and why it’s a top-notch marker.

Continuous Push-Ups

How to Do It:
Lie face down on the floor, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, elbows fully extended. Lower your body until your chest touches the floor, keeping a straight line from head to heels (no rounding your back!).

Push back up to the starting position, that’s one. Perform as many as you can without resting (holding at the top for 3 seconds counts as a rest). Record your total.

  • Goal: Men: 30+ (20-30s), 20-30 (40s), 15-20 (50s+); Women: 20+ (20-30s), 15-20 (40s), 10-15 (50s+).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Tests upper body strength and endurance, reflecting muscle mass and heart health. A 2019 JAMA Network Open study found men doing 40+ had a 96% lower heart disease risk (JAMA Network Open, 2019).

Mobility Test: Sit-Rise Test

How to Do It:
From standing, sit cross-legged on the floor without using hands, knees, forearms, or legs for support. Stand back up the same way.

Score 10 max, deduct 1 point per support used (e.g., hand on floor) going down and up.

  • Goal: 8-10 (20-40s), 6-8 (50s), 4-6 (60s+).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Assesses flexibility, strength, and balance, vital for mobility. A 2012 European Journal of Preventive Cardiology study tied higher scores to a 21% lower mortality risk (Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2012).

Waist-to-Height Ratio

How to Do It:
Measure your height in centimetres (cm). Measure your waist at the narrowest point between ribs and hips in cm. Divide waist by height (e.g., 80 cm waist / 170 cm height = 0.47).

  • Goal: <0.5 (ideal), 0.5-0.6 (moderate risk), >0.6 (high risk).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Gauges body fat distribution and metabolic health. A 2016 BMJ study linked ratios over 0.5 to higher risks of diabetes and heart disease (BMJ, 2016).

Grip Strength

How to Do It:
Use a grip dynamometer. Stand upright, hold it at your side, and squeeze as hard as you can. Record the highest reading in pounds (lb) after three tries per hand.

  • Goal: Men: 88+ lb (20-30s), 77-88 lb (40s), 66-77 lb (50s+); Women: 55+ lb (20-30s), 44-55 lb (40s), 33-44 lb (50s+). Note: Converted from kg, 1 kg ≈ 2.2 lb.
  • Why It’s a Marker: Reflects overall muscle and heart health. A 2015 Lancet study found a 17% lower mortality risk per 5 kg increase (Lancet, 2015).

Sit and Reach (YMCA)

How to Do It:
Sit on the floor, legs straight, feet 10-12 inches apart. Place a tape measure between your feet (15-inch mark at heels), zero toward you. Reach forward with hands stacked, hold for 1-2 seconds. Record the best distance in inches after two tries.

  • Goal: Men: 17+ in (20-30s), 15-17 in (40s), 13-15 in (50s+); Women: 19+ in (20-30s), 17-19 in (40s), 15-17 in (50s+).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Measures lower back and hamstring flexibility, key for joint health. A 2021 Journal of Ageing Research study links better flexibility to lower injury risk (J Ageing Res, 2021).

One-Leg Stand / Balance Test

How to Do It:
Stand with eyes shut, lift one leg (bent at the knee, free-floating). Hold as long as you can without touching down or using support. Time in seconds, test both legs, record both.

  • Goal: 45-60 sec (20-30s), 30-45 sec (40s), 15-30 sec (50s+).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Tests balance and leg strength, tied to nerve health. A 2018 BMJ Open study links poor balance to frailty and falls (BMJ Open, 2018).

Reaction Time Test

How to Do It:
Download the “Reaction Time & Reflex Test” app, select “Lights Out.” Place your thumb on the screen to start. When all five lights go out, lift your thumb fast. Repeat five times, take your best (lowest) score in milliseconds (ms).

  • Goal: <200 ms (20-30s), 200-250 ms (40s), 250-300 ms (50s+).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Gauges brain and nerve speed, which slow with age. A 2020 Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscience study ties faster reactions to cognitive health and longevity (Frontiers, 2020).

Memory Recall Test (Bonus Logical Test)

How to Do It:
Have a mate read 10 random words (e.g., apple, chair, river). Listen once, then write down as many as you recall in 1 minute.

  • Goal: 8-10 words (20-30s), 6-8 words (40s), 4-6 words (50s+).
  • Why It’s a Marker: Tests short-term memory and brain health. A 2022 Neurology study links better recall to lower dementia risk and slower cognitive ageing (Neurology, 2022).

📊 Test Results Guide

Test

20-30s Goal

40s Goal

50s+ Goal

Push-Ups (M)

30+

20-30

15-20

Sit-Rise

8-10

6-8

4-6

Waist-to-Height

<0.5

0.5-0.6

>0.6 (watch)

Grip Strength (M)

88+ lb

77-88 lb

66-77 lb

Sit and Reach (M)

17+ in

15-17 in

13-15 in

One-Leg Balance

45-60 sec

30-45 sec

15-30 sec

Reaction Time

<200 ms

200-250 ms

250-300 ms

Memory Recall

8-10 words

6-8 words

4-6 words

Note: Women’s goals, Push-Ups: 20+/15-20/10-15; Grip: 55+/44-55/33-44 lb; Sit and Reach: 19+/17-19/15-17 in.

Why These Tests Are Spot-On

Each test zeroes in on a vital ageing signpost:

  • Push-Ups: Upper body strength, more reps mean a healthier ticker.
  • Sit-Rise: Flexibility and balance, higher scores beat the odds.
  • Waist-to-Height: Fat distribution, lower ratios dodge metabolic trouble.
  • Grip Strength: Overall power, stronger grips signal longer life.
  • Sit and Reach: Flexibility, supple joints keep you moving.
  • Balance: Leg stability, steady feet fight frailty.
  • Reaction Time: Brain speed, quicker reflexes mean sharper wits.
  • Memory: Cognitive health, solid recall fends off brain decline.

How to Use Your Results

Compare your scores to the goals. Hitting 20-30s targets at 50? You’re biologically younger, ace! Falling short? No bother, up your game with longevity promoting foods like edamame or avocado (check our Top Longevity Foods guide), add some exercise, and try Healthspan Formulas’ NMN for an NAD+ boost.

Retest monthly to see your progress.

⚡ Quick Tips for Testing

  • ⏱️ Use a phone timer for spot-on timing.
  • 👟 Go barefoot for balance and sit-rise.
  • 📏 Grab a tape measure for waist and reach tests.
  • 📱 Download the app for reaction time, it’s a doddle.
  • ✍️ Pen and paper ready for the memory test.

Wrap-Up: Take Charge of Your Age

These eight tests, push-ups, sit-rise, waist-to-height, grip strength, sit-and-reach, balance, reaction time, and memory, give you a brilliant way to measure your biological age at home. They’re simple, science-backed, and show your true vitality.

Want to turn back time? Pair your scores with a longevity diet and Healthspan Formulas’ NMN supplements, free UK delivery included. Test, tweak, and thrive, your younger self is waiting!


🔬 Dig Deeper

Explore Our Collections

Back to blog