Experts highlight social isolation and sleep disruption as top aging blind spots

In its latest Healthy Aging Survey, U.S. News gathered input from 63 specialists across medicine, nutrition and fitness to pinpoint gaps in public understanding of longevity. While exercise, balanced nutrition and sufficient sleep topped the list of proven habits, respondents flagged social isolation as the leading blind spot, citing its links to mental health decline and increased disease risk. Disrupted sleep-wake cycles and persistent low-grade stress were the next most underappreciated contributors to accelerated aging.

When evaluating popular biohacking devices, wearable trackers like the Apple Watch and Oura ring emerged as the only tools deemed genuinely useful, whereas many participants rejected other gadgets as sources of needless worry. About a quarter of experts gave a cautious nod to intermittent fasting, and a smaller share approved imaging scans or continuous glucose monitors for people without diabetes, though endocrinologists warned these may cause unnecessary anxiety. Overall, the survey suggests that social connection and sleep hygiene matter more for longevity than many trendy health technologies.