Free · 4 tests · no equipment
The 10-minute longevity test
Can you sit down on the floor and get back up without your hands? Four simple tests, about ten minutes, done at home. You get a baseline today and a number to beat in eight weeks.
Test 1 of 4 · ~3 min
The floor test
How to do it
- Stand barefoot on a clear floor. Cross your feet if you can.
- Lower yourself to sit cross-legged, using as little support as you can.
- Then stand back up the same way.
- Count every support you used on the way down and on the way up: a hand, a forearm, a knee, or the side of your leg.
Why it matters
In 2,002 adults aged 51 to 80, each extra point on this test was linked to about 21% better survival over a median of 6.3 years. People scoring 0 to 3 had a risk about five times that of people scoring 8 to 10. It is a test of strength, balance and mobility together. [1]
Test 2 of 4 · ~2 min
Stand on one leg for 10 seconds
How to do it
- Stand barefoot next to a wall or chair, without touching it.
- Lift one foot and rest its front against the back of your standing lower leg.
- Arms by your sides, eyes on a point straight ahead. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Up to three tries per leg. Then switch legs.
Why it matters
In 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75, about one in five could not hold this stance for 10 seconds. Not managing it was linked to an 84% higher risk of dying from any cause over a median of seven years, after accounting for age, sex, body mass index and other conditions. Balance tends to fade quickly after the mid-50s, and it trains well. [2]
Test 3 of 4 · ~2 min
Push-ups in a row
How to do it
- Pick one style and stick to it for every retest: full push-ups from the toes, or from the knees.
- Hands a little wider than your shoulders, body in one straight line.
- Lower until your chest is about a fist above the floor, then press up.
- Count good reps in a row. Stop when your form breaks.
Why it matters
In 1,104 active male firefighters with an average age of about 40, men who managed more than 40 push-ups had far fewer heart events over ten years than men who managed fewer than 10. The study only included men, so there is no number for you to hit here: this is your own baseline to beat. [3]
Test 4 of 4 · ~2 min
Your resting heart rate
How to do it
- Best in the morning, before coffee, after sitting quietly for five minutes.
- Find your pulse on the thumb side of your wrist with two fingers.
- Count the beats for 60 seconds. A watch or chest strap works too.
Why it matters
In 2,798 healthy middle-aged men followed for 16 years, a higher resting heart rate was linked to higher mortality in a graded way, even after accounting for measured fitness. Regular easy cardio is one of the most reliable ways to bring it down. [4]
Your baseline map
Four numbers, one starting point. These are estimates from simple tests, not a diagnosis.
Fill in at least one test above to see your baseline map.
Free with the Sunrise Letter
The Retest Kit
Everything you need to beat today's numbers in eight weeks.
- A printable scorecard with today's four results
- An 8-week plan: two 15-minute sessions a week that train all four tests
- A calendar reminder for your retest, eight weeks from today
- Then the Sunrise Letter: calm, useful longevity news, only when there's something worth saying
Sources
- Brito LBB, Ricardo DR, Araújo DSMS, Ramos PS, Myers J, Araújo CGS. Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2014;21(7):892–898. doi:10.1177/2047487312471759
- Araujo CG, de Souza e Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, et al. Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56(17):975–980. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2021-105360
- Yang J, Christophi CA, Farioli A, et al. Association between push-up exercise capacity and future cardiovascular events among active adult men. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(2):e188341. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341
- Jensen MT, Suadicani P, Hein HO, Gyntelberg F. Elevated resting heart rate, physical fitness and all-cause mortality: a 16-year follow-up in the Copenhagen Male Study. Heart. 2013;99(12):882–887. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2012-303375
Last reviewed: 2026-11-05
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