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At 67, Meryl Streep was swimming a mile a day — here are the surprising benefits for healthy ageing
At 67, Meryl Streep revealed she was swimming a mile a day – and not in pursuit of a particular physique, but to 'keep her health'.
Speaking to HELLO! Magazine, she said: 'I do try to stay healthy. Sometimes I let myself fall apart, but generally I try to swim a mile every day, because I like the feeling and it gets me into my body. I'm quite conscious of keeping my health, because it doesn't last forever and we're all of us lucky as long as we do have it. I try to remember that.'
In another interview with The Guardian, she added that she aims for '55 laps', sharing that the pool tends to be where she does a lot of her thinking.
But the benefits of swimming – especially Streep's mile-a-day habit – for ageing well go far beyond mental health. Here are six big advantages for longevity, with studies to prove it.
1. Swimming improves cardiovascular endurance:
Research on adults 60-70 years old showed that after 16 weeks, participants who swam regularly showed significant improvements in cardio health (measured by a 6-minute walk test). Strong heart and lung function supports long-term independence and reduces risks tied to ageing, like cardiometabolic decline and poor mobility.
2. It reduces joint stress while improving fitness:
Several studies on swimming show that water supports up to 90% of your body weight, lowering joint loading and pain, which is particularly beneficial for people with arthritis or mobility – one study on people with osteoarthritis showed that swimming significantly reduced joint pain and stiffness. Lower-impact exercise like swimming is a game-changer not just for protecting joints and reducing pain, but for maintaining any activity level when other weight-bearing exercise isn't comfortable (or possible).
3. It helps maintain muscle:
Studies prove that swimming improves muscular strength and physical performance in older adults. This is particularly important with age, since the process of sarcopenia means we lose 3-5% of muscle mass per decade after 30, which has a big impact on mobility and functional independence.
4. It promotes brain health:
Research shows swimming increases blood flow to the brain, helping support neural pathways and neurotransmitters linked to mood and mental clarity. Over time, this can help sharpen cognitive function and protect against the mental decline which can occur with age, like loss of memory or slowed decision-making.
5. Swimming enhances flexibility and mobility:
Regular swimming is proven to improve your joint range of motion, as water supports your body as you move through full ranges of motion. The payoff is practical: it can help reduce fall risk which increases with age, and makes everyday functional movement – like bending over, reaching upwards and walking – easier and safer.
6. Swimming reduces the risk of chronic health diseases:
Swimming has been associated with improvements in metabolic function, insulin sensitivity, healthier cholesterol levels and more stable blood pressure. This can lower the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and hypertension, and even a few laps a few times a week can make a measurable difference.
For Streep, the goal has never been aesthetic – in 2014, she said: 'For young women, I would say, don't worry so much about your weight. Girls spend way too much time thinking about that, and there are better things.'
Now 76 and thriving (bookmark 30th April for the Devil Wears Prada 2 release date, where Streep features alongside co-star Anne Hathaway), Streep is proof that ageing well isn't about doing more – it's about choosing movement that works with your body, not against it. Swimming is a rare sweet spot: demanding enough to pay off, gentle enough to sustain.
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