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The research behind the scores
Every score is built on published, peer-reviewed research. Here’s exactly what we used and why.
Important: Wellness indicator · Not medical advice — these scores are designed for personal reflection and education only. Full disclaimer →
Active Aging Score
Measures physical capability across five dimensions: lower-body strength, grip/hanging endurance, exercise frequency, sleep, and diet quality.
Rikli & Jones Senior Fitness Test
Rikli, R.E. & Jones, C.J. (2013). Senior Fitness Test Manual (2nd ed.). Human Kinetics. Normative data by age and sex adopted by the CDC.
The 30-second chair stand test is a validated measure of lower-body strength and functional independence in adults 60–94. It predicts fall risk and all-cause mortality.
Grip Strength & Mortality — Leong et al., Lancet 2015
Leong, D.P. et al. (2015). Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. The Lancet, 386(9990), 266–273.
In 140,000 adults across 17 countries, grip strength was a stronger predictor of cardiovascular mortality than systolic blood pressure. Each 5kg decrease in grip strength was associated with a 17% higher risk of cardiovascular death.
Sleep Score
Simplified Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index logic. Evaluates hours, consistency, restfulness, wake frequency, caffeine timing, screen use, and age-related patterns.
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Buysse, D.J., Reynolds, C.F., Monk, T.H., Berman, S.R., & Kupfer, D.J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: A new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Research, 28(2), 193–213.
The PSQI is the gold-standard self-report instrument for sleep quality, validated across clinical and community populations. A score above 5 indicates poor sleep quality with 89.6% sensitivity and 86.5% specificity.
Sleep Duration & Dementia Risk — Nature Communications 2021
Sabia, S. et al. (2021). Association of sleep duration in middle and old age with incidence of dementia. Nature Communications, 12, 2289.
In 7,959 adults tracked over 25 years, consistently sleeping 6 hours or less at age 50–60 was associated with a 30% increased risk of developing dementia, independent of other health behaviors.
Matthew Walker Lab / UC Berkeley
Walker, M.P. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner. Supporting research published in Nature Neuroscience and PNAS.
REM sleep plays a critical role in emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and immune function. Sleep deprivation of even one night impairs prefrontal cortex function comparably to alcohol intoxication.
Brain Health Score
Based on the Lancet Commission's 14 modifiable dementia risk factors. Evaluates sleep, social connection, learning, exercise, diet, stress, purpose, and age.
Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention — 2020 & 2024
Livingston, G. et al. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 396(10248), 413–446. Updated 2024 with 14 factors.
Up to 45% of dementia cases are potentially preventable through 14 modifiable lifestyle factors: physical inactivity, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, alcohol, obesity, smoking, depression, social isolation, air pollution, diabetes, high LDL, vision loss, and low education.
Purpose & Cognitive Decline — Patricia Boyle / Rush University
Boyle, P.A. et al. (2010). Effect of a purpose in life on risk of incident Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older persons. Archives of General Psychiatry, 67(3), 304–310.
Among 951 older adults, those with the highest sense of purpose were 2.4x less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and 50% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment over the follow-up period.
Harvard Study of Adult Development
Waldinger, R. & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Simon & Schuster.
The longest-running study on adult development (85+ years, Harvard) found that relationship quality — not wealth, fame, or even genetics — is the strongest predictor of health, happiness, and cognitive longevity in old age.
Purpose & Connection Score
Seven equal-weighted self-report questions based on the ikigai framework. Measures reason to rise, feeling needed, honest relationships, contribution, anticipation, present-tense thriving, and flow.
Ikigai & Mortality — Sone et al., Psychosomatic Medicine 2008
Sone, T. et al. (2008). Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70(6), 709–715.
Among 43,391 Japanese adults tracked for 7 years, those who reported a clear sense of ikigai (life worth living) had significantly lower all-cause mortality, particularly from cardiovascular disease. The association held independent of health status at baseline.
Purpose & Longevity — Psychological Science 2009
Boyle, P.A., Barnes, L.L., Buchman, A.S., & Bennett, D.A. (2009). Purpose in life is associated with mortality among community-dwelling older persons. Psychosomatic Medicine, 71(5), 574–579.
Higher purpose in life was associated with a 57% reduction in risk of death over the study period, with benefits seen across racial groups and after adjusting for depressive symptoms and other health indicators.
MIDUS Study — University of Wisconsin
Ryff, C.D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. Ongoing MIDUS longitudinal data.
The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study tracks how psychological well-being — including purpose, autonomy, and positive relationships — predicts physical health outcomes. Higher purpose scores correlate with lower inflammation markers, better sleep, and reduced cardiovascular risk.
Social Isolation & Loneliness — NASEM 2020
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. The National Academies Press.
Social isolation is associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia. Loneliness was as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
These scores are general wellness indicators designed for educational and entertainment purposes. They are based on factors studied in published health and wellness research but are not clinical assessments, do not diagnose any health condition, and are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Your results are for personal reflection only. Always consult your physician before making any health decisions.
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