Safe to say, all of us want to enjoy the kind of vibrant ‘health span’ that enables us to remain active and engaged (and ambulatory!) for as long as possible. To help us get there, it’s essential to focus on the foundational habits that support a long and healthy life – we’re talking good rest, relaxation/stress management, plenty of movement, wholesome foods and social connection – the ‘fab five’ basics of longevity.

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While some days you may stick to the longevity landing better than others, keep in mind that a vibrant health span is the product of a life-long journey. In my longevity-focused practice, it’s my job to guide patients towards minimizing their risk for life-altering or life-shortening conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. That guidance integrates an analysis of an individual’s medical history, lifestyle advice, and state-of-the-art diagnostic testing – and a few high tech tools, which also happen to make you feel great. It’s all in the service of coming up with a personalized longevity ‘road map.’ 

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Whether it’s wearable health-tracking tech or a home-based device or one of the professional grade treatments we use at our New York center, the mission is the same. We use the data that tech provides to better understand what’s going on with your unique physiology so we can identify— and treat – potential vulnerabilities before they get a toehold and compromise long-term health and longevity. Even more exciting -- many of these longevity-promoting devices barely existed a few years ago. So, which ones do I swear by? Here are my seven favorite, evidence-based tech tools to enhance physical and emotional health – and encourage longevity. My advice? Add as many as possible to your wellbeing routine, and reap the benefits for years to come: 

1) The Shiftwave Chair – fast tracking recovery, relaxation and rejuvenation – on demand!

One of the greatest pleasures in life? Relaxation. In my book it’s a non-negotiable when it comes to supporting your physical and emotional health – and ultimately your longevity. Unfortunately, as much as we may crave it, and our bodies need it, being able to cultivate relaxation on demand can, at times, be a tall order. The Shiftwave chair however changes that, very quickly, by using vibration and sound to help reset the body’s stress response and calm the nervous system.

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The experience? Think of it as an almost instant, mini-vacation. Simply settle into the ergonomic, ‘zero gravity’ recliner, slip into a specialized eye mask, put your feet up and, in a matter of minutes, the chair’s therapeutic vibrations and soothing soundscapes make for a meditative, immersive full body relaxation experience. The chair’s specific vibration frequencies help calm the nervous system, regulate cortisol levels, improve circulation, and support muscular recovery. All in all, a fantastic, holistic and incredibly pleasurable way to push back on chronic stress, which is a key driver of aging. 

Who’s taking advantage? In addition to our patients, the Shiftwave, designed primarily for clinical use, is being used by athletes in the NBA, MLB, NHL and a number of Paris 2024 Olympians. Beyond the world of sports, the Shiftwave is also being used as additional therapeutic support in civilian and military hospitals, offering stress relief for those dealing with PTSD and trauma.

2) Red Light Therapy Beds – fighting aging via cellular regeneration.

Red light therapy (RLT) beds put aging exactly where you want it –directly into the slow lane. The red light therapy beds in our center use low-wavelength red and near-infrared light to penetrate the skin and stimulate cellular activity. Studies have shown that RLT can boost mitochondrial function, promote collagen production, and enhance tissue repair. This process not only improves skin health and reduces the appearance of aging but also supports muscle recovery and reduces inflammation—key components of a longer, healthier life.

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What’s more, sessions spent on the red light therapy bed may also help take the edge off brain aging. Research indicates that RLT can deliver a number of potentially cognition-saving benefits to help our brains function better for longer, by boosting blood flow, improving cognitive function, enhancing mood and possibly providing protection against neurological damage and decline. More youthful skin, less inflammation, better muscles and better brain health? Count us in!

3) InBody Body Composition Analyzers – revealing what’s under the (skin) surface.

Understanding your body's composition is crucial for setting and achieving health goals, and if your goal is to live long and well, knowing where you stand – and where you need to go – is the first step. The InBody analyzer at our center is, to say the least, a real eye opener for many patients. In a matter of seconds, it scans the body by sending electrical pulses throughout the body to measure how your various tissues conduct the current. This non-invasive look-under-the-hood provides us with precise measurements of your muscle mass, fat percentage, visceral fat, water levels, and more. 

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Unlike traditional scales where you can just measure one’s BMI, the InBody can distinguish between muscle and body fat, and measures visceral fat, the more dangerous fat around the waist and organs. It also offers valuable insight into how your body responds to diet and exercise, which helps us develop tailored plans – and where needed, interventions – to support your optimal health. Tracking and optimizing body composition is essential for preventing age-related conditions, and can help us identify potential life-shortening health problems early, while there’s still time to reverse or mitigate them. The InBody analyzer is one of our favorite longevity-focused tools, and we use it every day to gather data and track patients’ health, and monitor their progress over time as they progress and improve.

4) Infrared Saunas – helping your heart and head stay young.

Traditional saunas, be they hot and steamy or dry and super-heated – deliver a host of health benefits, similar to those experienced with light to moderate exercise. But instead of super-heating the air around you, infrared saunas heat the body with infrared light and warm you from the inside, not just on the surface, and at a lower temperature. You’ll still sweat up a storm, but with considerably less heat-related discomfort than you get in traditional saunas. This process helps eliminate toxins, improve blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, tame chronic pain and curb inflammation – all to the good of your healthspan. Sauna time is also linked to improved cardiovascular health, enhanced immune function, and by extension, increased longevity by reducing the risk of chronic diseases. 

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What else can infrared do for you? When you stimulate better flood flow with regular infrared sessions, you may also look a bit younger. The infrared-boosted blood flow helps increase collagen production, and encourages skin-rejuvenating, anti-aging effects. 

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To get your dose, sign up for sessions at a local wellness center or fitness club; consider investing in an in-home infrared sauna; or look into purchasing a portable infrared sauna ‘pod’ or infrared sauna blanket.

5) Vagus Nerve Stimulators – quickly connecting you with your calmer side.

The vagus nerve (VN) is an essential part of your parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for calming and balancing your nervous system, as well as regulating critical body functions, among them, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, perspiration, etc. It also calms down your organs after your system’s been revved up by the sympathetic nervous system –  in response to a perceived threat, the so-called “fight-or-flight” response, that lies at the core of feeling stressed. 

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That stress, particularly if it’s chronic, can be a big contributor to aging and age-related diseases – so the challenge is to cut it off at the pass. How to bring your nervous system back down to earth as quickly as possible? With a vagus nerve stimulator– the genius, non-invasive, hand-held device that uses electrical or mechanical stimulation to activate this nerve, promoting relaxation, reducing inflammation, and improving mood. By addressing these factors, vagus nerve stimulators can be an incredibly powerful tool to support an extended healthspan. 

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Our go-to VN stimulator device is the Hoolest. This small, very portable, hand-held device quickly connects you with the de-stressing power of the vagus nerve whenever stress starts to rise.

6) Continuous Glucose Monitors – keeping a close watch on blood sugar.

Whether yours is high or low or right where it should be (a hemoglobin A1C reading below 5.7), knowing where your blood sugar stands at a given moment is important to supporting a better, longer and healthier lifespan – and preventing life-altering metabolic disease. How to keep a close watch on yours? Use a ‘continuous glucose monitor,’ (CGM) a wearable bio-sensor patch that sticks on your arm and provides continuous readings and wireless data transmission to your smart phone or dedicated “reader” device. With a CGM, in roughly 5 minutes, you get a complete picture of how your metabolism is responding in real time to the food you eat, the stress you’re under, your meds, even the sleep you got last night. 

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What we love about is CGMs are the pivotal role they play in improving longevity by providing real-time insights into blood sugar levels and fluctuations, enabling better management of metabolic health, and reducing the risk of long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and neuropathy, which are often associated with poorly controlled diabetes. In this way, CGMs support proactive health management, ultimately contributing to enhanced quality of life and increased lifespan.

7) Oura Rings – wearable, health monitoring ‘jewelry.’

You’ve probably seen your fit and fashionable friends wearing one, and with good reason. The Oura ring is a wearable device –that looks like a chic piece of minimalist jewelry – that tracks key health metrics, including sleep quality, heart rate variability (HRV), physical activity levels, and body temperature. These metrics provide insights into your recovery, stress levels, and overall health trends in real time. Helpful for both the wearer and their health care practitioners, the data the Oura collects is fantastic for providing wearers with the information they need to help them make data-driven decisions that promote their long-term wellness.

Stack ‘em up – and combine the benefits.

Bottom line: When it comes to things that aren’t great for you – that extra bite of cake, that second glass of wine – less is more. But when it comes to this health tech, no need to scrimp! While each of these tools, both the professional grade and consumer versions, offers unique benefits, their combined use can amplify their positive, longevity-supporting impact. For instance, tracking your sleep and your recovery with an Oura ring can help you tailor your use of infrared saunas or red light therapy beds. Body composition data from InBody analyzers can help inform the exercise and nutrition plans that will work best for you. With these science-backed innovations in your corner, we can design the optimal integrative approach to help you achieve the most vital healthspan possible. The more tools we can tap into to do that, the better!