As peptides, cold plunges and high tech wearables gain popularity, some longevity advocates are promoting the possibility of dramatically extending human life. Dr. Annu Navani says people should instead focus on improving the quality of the years they have.

Navani is chief medical officer at Le Reve Wellness in San Jose, California, where she leads advanced regenerative and longevity medicine programs. She is also founder of the World Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

The biggest myth surrounding longevity, she said, is the belief that people will eventually live for a "very, very long period of time."

"I do feel we have extended the human lifespan to some extent," Navani told Fox News Digital. "So yes, we are making progress, but I think it would be a false promise if we said people would live beyond 120 or 130 years of life."

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Rather than pursuing immortality, Navani said longevity medicine should help people remain healthier during the years available to them. "Longevity medicine is all about adding life to those years, not so much years to life," she said.

That approach does not necessarily require expensive procedures, supplements or biohacks, according to Navani. For people with limited time or money, she recommends "starting from within the daily routines of smart practices."

Navani identified four pillars that form the foundation of longevity, all of which "don't cost much money at all." Those areas include sleep, stress management, nutrition and physical activity.

"I think sleep is really understated in terms of its importance for overall health and longevity," she said. The CDC recommends seven or more hours of sleep for adults, although individual needs vary.

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Navani recommends eating at least three or four hours before going to bed and avoiding stimulating activities such as using a laptop. She also suggests calming routines that can include meditation, gratitude or journaling.

Health agencies recommend managing stress through physical activity, optimal sleep, relaxation techniques, proper nutrition and social connections. Navani said she starts her own day with 20 minutes devoted to meditation and gratitude, which helps calm her mind and relieve stress.

She also recommends meditating in the evening to unwind before bed. Meanwhile, general dietary guidance calls for meals built around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and low fat or fat free dairy.

That guidance also recommends limiting added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a balanced eating pattern should be tailored to an individual’s age, health needs and preferences.

Physical activity is another central part of the longevity foundation. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, along with muscle strengthening activity on at least two days each week.

For people in their 50s and beyond, Navani identified high intensity resistance training as the most important habit. "Studies have shown how it builds bone health and helps musculoskeletal blood flow," she said. "Muscle strength and muscle resilience are linked to health span and longevity, as they impact cardiovascular and neurovascular health."

Navani also highlighted VO₂ max, the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise, as an important marker. The metric is widely used to assess cardiorespiratory fitness and reflects how efficiently the heart, lungs and muscles work together.

"I think VO₂ max is a really important key biomarker that has been shown in quite a few studies to be linked positively to good health and longer lifespan," she said. For some older adults and people with health conditions, experts say lower intensity or supervised strength training may be more appropriate.

Navani emphasized that people can still make meaningful improvements to their health span later in life. "I often say if you didn't start in your 20s, the best time to start is today," she said. "I have a lot of patients who come to me when they are 55 and 60 and we start the journey then."

Her own morning routine divides the first hour of the day into three 20 minute segments. The first is dedicated to meditation and gratitude, while the second focuses on movement through stretching, exercise and resistance training.

"The first 20 minutes is just meditating and waking up and kind of just being grateful and thankful," she shared. "That helps calm me down and relieves stress."

Navani reserves the final 20 minutes for reading. "I read something that I really want to capture in my brain, something I want to remember."

She advises against reaching immediately for a phone or opening email after waking. Instead, she recommends using that time to read something intellectually engaging while beginning the day with a calmer, more deliberate routine.