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The Peak Review

Practical health reading for men

10 Everyday Habits That Support a Man’s Vitality After 40

Sleep, strength, circulation and a few numbers worth knowing: what published research says, and where to start this week.

By The Peak Review editorial teamPublished 9 min read

An older man with a backpack and trekking poles standing on a misty country trail
Nine of the ten habits below cost nothing.

Vitality after 40 rarely comes down to one secret. It is mostly the sum of ordinary things: how long you sleep, how often you move, what ends up on your plate, and whether you know a few numbers your doctor keeps an eye on. The encouraging part is that the research on these habits is solid, and most of them cost nothing.

Below are ten habits, each with the study or public-health guideline behind it, so you can read the evidence for yourself. Several of those studies measured erectile function, which researchers have linked to later heart problems and which physicians now read as an early signal of blood-vessel health.1

Pick one or two to start this week. The checklist at the end will help you keep track.

1Protect seven hours of sleep, or more

Short nights are easy to write off as part of a busy life, but the body keeps score. The CDC recommends at least seven hours a night for adults up to age 60.3 For many men, the gap between six hours and seven is the cheapest improvement on this list.

An older man asleep under a gray duvet in a bright, quiet bedroom
Morning light in a quiet bedroom.

What the research found

One week of sleep cut to five hours a night lowered daytime testosterone by 10 to 15 percent compared with rested nights, and the men rated their own vigor lower as the week went on. For scale, the authors note that normal aging lowers testosterone by about 1 to 2 percent a year.2

Laboratory study, 10 healthy men with a mean age of 24, 2011. Older men were not tested.

Start here. Keep one wake-up time seven days a week and count back seven and a half hours for lights out. Charge your phone outside the bedroom.

2Lift something heavy, twice a week

A bearded man in a white T-shirt doing a dumbbell curl at an outdoor gym among pine trees
Two days of muscle-strengthening work a week are part of the CDC guideline for adults.

Muscle is not only about appearance; it is what carries you up the stairs. It also responds to training well past 50, as the analyses below show. The CDC’s activity guideline for adults includes muscle-strengthening work on at least two days a week, in addition to aerobic activity.6

What the research found

Across 47 studies of adults aged 50 and older, resistance training raised strength by roughly 24 to 33 percent, depending on the exercise. A companion analysis of 49 studies found an average gain of 1.1 kg, about 2.4 pounds, of lean body mass.4,5

Two meta-analyses, 1,079 and 1,328 adults aged 50 and older, 2010 and 2011.

Start here. Two 30-minute sessions a week that cover legs, a push, a pull and your core. Choose a weight you can move 8 to 12 times with good form, and add a little when it feels easy.

3Walk briskly for 150 minutes a week

Aerobic activity is the habit with the broadest reach. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.6 That works out to about 22 minutes a day of walking fast enough that talking takes a little effort.

A man in a sun hat and backpack walking along a rocky forest trail
A walk on a forest trail.

What the research found

A 2018 systematic review of exercise trials in men recommended about 160 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise, kept up for six months, for men whose symptoms were tied to inactivity, excess weight, high blood pressure or heart disease.7

Systematic review of 10 intervention studies, 2018.

Start here. Walk after dinner. Begin with 10 minutes and add five each week until you reach 30 minutes, five days a week.

4Eat the Mediterranean way most days

No single food is the answer. The pattern tested in the trial below is the Mediterranean style: vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, walnuts and olive oil.8 It is less a diet than a way of filling the plate.

Tomatoes with feta and basil, olives, an olive branch and a small bowl of olive oil on a dark slate board
Vegetables and olive oil are staples of the Mediterranean pattern.

What the research found

In a two-year trial of men with metabolic syndrome, those who followed a Mediterranean-style diet showed better endothelial function, a measure of how well blood vessels relax, and lower CRP, a marker of inflammation. Neither improved in the control group.8

Controlled trial, 65 men, 2006. A small study, drawn from earlier lifestyle trials.

Start here. Cook with olive oil, keep a handful of walnuts within reach, and make half of every plate vegetables.

5Keep your waistline in check

Extra weight does more than change how a shirt fits. In men, excess body weight is associated with lower testosterone, and losing weight tends to move it back up.10 The change does not need to be dramatic, but the direction matters.

What the research found

In a two-year randomized trial, men with obesity who were coached to eat less and move more brought their average BMI down from 36.9 to 31.2 and raised their exercise from 48 to 195 minutes a week.9 A review of 24 studies found that weight loss was linked to higher testosterone, and the more weight men lost, the larger the rise.10

Randomized trial, 110 men aged 35 to 55, 2004; meta-analysis of 24 studies, 2013.

Start here. Measure your waist at the navel once a month, same day, same tape. Look for a slow, steady downward trend rather than a single number.

6Train the muscles nobody mentions

The pelvic floor is a sling of muscle at the base of the pelvis. It supports bladder control, and its muscles play a part in the function the introduction mentions.11 Like any muscle, it weakens with disuse, and like any muscle, it can be trained, quietly and anywhere.

What the research found

In a randomized trial of 55 men with a median age of 59, three months of pelvic floor exercises taught by a physiotherapist produced significantly better scores on that measure than lifestyle advice alone. At six months, 40 percent of the men scored in the normal range.11

Randomized trial, 55 men, 2004. The control group switched to the exercises after three months.

  1. Find the muscles: they are the ones you would use to stop the flow of urine. Do that once to locate them, not as the exercise itself.
  2. Squeeze and lift for a slow count of three, then relax for a count of three.
  3. Work up to three short sets a day: one lying down, one sitting, one standing.

7Drink less, and leave tobacco behind

The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans no longer set a daily number for alcohol. The advice is simply to drink less for better overall health.14

What the research found

Across prospective studies, current smokers had 51 percent higher odds of the blood-vessel warning sign described in the introduction than non-smokers, and former smokers 29 percent higher odds.12 A broader review of 89 population studies found that the risk rose with the amount smoked.13

Meta-analyses of observational studies, 2013 and 2018. They show association, not proof of cause.

Start here. Set alcohol-free days each week. If you smoke, ask your doctor about support to quit; in the studies above, former smokers carried less risk than current smokers.

8Get morning daylight, and check your vitamin D

Sunlight on the skin is how the body makes most of its vitamin D, and a few minutes may be enough; longer exposure without sunscreen is not recommended. Adults up to age 70 need 600 IU a day, and 800 IU after that.17

A bearded man drinking coffee outdoors in a field at sunrise
Coffee outdoors in the early morning.

What the research found

In overweight men who were low in vitamin D, a daily supplement taken for a year raised testosterone from 10.7 to 13.4 nmol/L, while the placebo group did not change.15 A later trial from the same group found no effect in men whose levels were already normal.16 The lesson: correct a shortfall, but do not expect extra vitamin D to work as a booster.

Randomized trials of 54 and 98 men, 2011 and 2017.

Start here. Take your first coffee outside or by an open window, and ask your doctor whether a vitamin D blood test makes sense for you.

9Know your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol

A gray-haired man in glasses having his blood pressure taken at a table at home
Blood pressure is one of three numbers worth tracking year to year.

The study below ends with a practical recommendation: when warning signs appear, check the cardiovascular risk factors.1 Blood pressure, fasting blood sugar and cholesterol are three of them, and your doctor can check all three at a routine visit.

What the research found

Among 9,457 men aged 55 and older, those who developed the blood-vessel warning sign described in the introduction had a 25 percent higher risk of a later cardiovascular event. The authors concluded that it should prompt a check of cardiovascular risk factors.1

Cohort study of 9,457 men, 2005. Shows association, not proof of cause.

Start here. Book an annual checkup, write your three numbers down and compare them year to year. The printed checklist has room for them.

10Consider a daily supplement, such as SodaPeak

The first nine habits cost nothing, and they are where most of the benefit lies. Some men also want a simple daily supplement to go with them. SodaPeak is the one we looked at for this article, and here is what you should know before you try it.

Two bottles of SodaPeak Premium Formula, 30 gummies each, dietary supplement
The two-bottle option, a 60-day supply.

SodaPeak at a glance

  • What it isA dietary supplement in gummy form. One gummy a day; 30 gummies per bottle.
  • IngredientsThe seller lists botanical and amino-acid ingredients including maca, ashwagandha, epimedium and L-arginine. The full list and amounts are on the Supplement Facts label.
  • EvidenceLike most supplements, SodaPeak has not been tested in its own published clinical trial, so we make no claims about what it will do for you.
  • GuaranteeThe seller offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can judge it for yourself. Conditions apply; read them at checkout.
  • Before you startTalk with your doctor if you take prescription medication, especially for blood pressure, the heart or blood sugar. Some botanical ingredients can interact with medicines.
Check SodaPeak availability

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

None of these habits is dramatic, and that is the point: they are the kind of changes a man can keep for years. Start with the one that feels easiest, add another next month, and bring your numbers to your next checkup.

Your ten-habit checklist

Tick the habits you already keep, then print the list for the fridge or your next checkup. Your ticks stay on this device only.

Blood pressure
Fasting blood sugar
Cholesterol
Date checked

You already keep 0 of 10.

Sources

  1. Thompson IM, Tangen CM, Goodman PJ, Probstfield JL, Moinpour CM, Coltman CA. Erectile dysfunction and subsequent cardiovascular disease. JAMA. 2005;294(23):2996-3002. doi:10.1001/jama.294.23.2996
  2. Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. 2011;305(21):2173-2174. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.710
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep. 2024. cdc.gov/sleep/about
  4. Peterson MD, Rhea MR, Sen A, Gordon PM. Resistance exercise for muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev. 2010;9(3):226-237. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2010.03.004
  5. Peterson MD, Sen A, Gordon PM. Influence of resistance exercise on lean body mass in aging adults: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(2):249-258. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181eb6265
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview. 2023. cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics
  7. Gerbild H, Larsen CM, Graugaard C, Areskoug Josefsson K. Physical activity to improve erectile function: a systematic review of intervention studies. Sex Med. 2018;6(2):75-89. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2018.02.001
  8. Esposito K, Ciotola M, Giugliano F, et al. Mediterranean diet improves erectile function in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. Int J Impot Res. 2006;18(4):405-410. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901447
  9. Esposito K, Giugliano F, Di Palo C, et al. Effect of lifestyle changes on erectile dysfunction in obese men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004;291(24):2978-2984. doi:10.1001/jama.291.24.2978
  10. Corona G, Rastrelli G, Monami M, et al. Body weight loss reverts obesity-associated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Endocrinol. 2013;168(6):829-843. doi:10.1530/EJE-12-0955
  11. Dorey G, Speakman M, Feneley R, Swinkels A, Dunn C, Ewings P. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction. Br J Gen Pract. 2004;54(508):819-825. PubMed 15527607
  12. Cao S, Yin X, Wang Y, Zhou H, Song F, Lu Z. Smoking and risk of erectile dysfunction: systematic review of observational studies with meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e60443. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060443
  13. Allen MS, Walter EE. Health-related lifestyle factors and sexual dysfunction: a meta-analysis of population-based research. J Sex Med. 2018;15(4):458-475. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.02.008
  14. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. Full guidelines (PDF)
  15. Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res. 2011;43(3):223-225. doi:10.1055/s-0030-1269854
  16. Lerchbaum E, Pilz S, Trummer C, et al. Vitamin D and testosterone in healthy men: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;102(11):4292-4302. doi:10.1210/jc.2017-01428
  17. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Vitamin D. Reviewed 2025. medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002405.htm

Important information

Advertising disclosure. This page is an advertisement produced by The Peak Review. We receive compensation when readers buy products through links on this page, including SodaPeak. That relationship does not change the studies we cite, but you should know about it.

Not medical advice. This article is general information written by our editorial team. It has not been reviewed by a physician and does not replace care from a qualified health professional. Talk with your doctor before changing your diet, exercise or supplements, and seek care promptly for chest pain, shortness of breath or other urgent symptoms.

FDA statement. Statements about dietary supplements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. SodaPeak is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Results vary. Research findings describe averages in the groups studied and may not apply to you. No outcome is promised.

Independence. The Peak Review is not the manufacturer or seller of SodaPeak, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NewsBreak or any news organization. SodaPeak is a trademark of its owner.

Photographs. Lifestyle photographs are from Pexels and used under the Pexels license; the people shown are models and are not connected with any product. Product image supplied by the seller.