I sit in the bathroom and brush my teeth, one leg hovering at knee level for a minute before raising the other for the second minute. Then I crouch down, trying to allow my body to go down deep enough to feel the burn. This is not part of a new bathroom exercise routine, but rather an attempt to figure out how likely I am to reach a healthy old age. According to experts, the ability to successfully perform basic exercises like balancing and squatting regularly not only equates to improved muscle tone and flexibility, but also provides insight into how long you’re likely to enjoy good health.

What’s more, these simple steps program the brain to fortify itself against the inevitable faltering, frailty, and infirmity that can come with old age—and the sooner you start doing them, the better. Lotti Sorrell, movement coach and longevity expert, explains, “You need to train those neural pathways by making longevity-enhancing exercises part of your daily life. If you don’t, your brain removes them – the principle we use in brain health is use it or lose it.”