![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/health\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1989500628-17e4.jpg\")
\n\t\tHealth is a spectrum, but it\u2019s important to see the positives (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tHealth is a spectrum, but it\u2019s important to see the positives (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
From heart rate to sleep score, it\u2019s de rigueur nowadays to be constantly monitoring your health through smart tech.<\/p>\n
While useful for some, for others it becomes more anxiety-inducing<\/a> than galvanising \u2014 which can itself have counterproductive physical consequences.<\/p>\n By shifting your focus to what\u2019s wrong, they can also mean you don\u2019t recognise when things are going well.<\/p>\n But if you take a step back and listen to your body\u2019s signals<\/a>, from how you feel to what you can do, you may see that you\u2019re not doing too bad after all.<\/p>\n As Dr Donald Grant, GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy<\/a> highlights, there\u2019s no single \u2018pass or fail test for how healthy you are,\u2019 and regular medical checkups are important for everyone.<\/p>\n That said, there are certain indicators that can provide a reassuring reminder you\u2019re on the right track (provided you\u2019re able-bodied and don\u2019t have underlying conditions which impact your mobility or bodily functions).<\/p>\n @joshfraseryoung<\/a> <\/p>\n We spend so much time worrying about what\u2019s wrong. But there are signs things are very much going well 1. You can put your sock on standing up. Without holding anything. Sounds basic. But. Single leg balance is one of the strongest predictors of longevity. A 2022 study found people who couldn\u2019t do this had double the risk of dying within 10 years. 2. You wake up before your alarm. Annoying \u2014 but it means your circadian rhythm is regulated and your body clocked the sleep it needed. No alarm required. 3. You can hold a deep, flat-footed squat. Not a gym squat. A resting squat. If you can do it without your heels lifting, your hip mobility, ankle mobility and posterior chain are in good shape. 4. You get hungry at regular times. Not peckish. Actually hungry. Consistent hunger signals mean your metabolism and hunger hormones are well regulated. Simple but powerful. 5. You can get up from the floor without using your hands Try it, without using your hands, knees, or furniture. It requires strength, balance, mobility, coordination, and power all at once. Studies show that people who can do this tend to live longer than those who can\u2019t. 6. You pass gas regularly. Embarrassing? Maybe. But passing gas up to 25 times a day is completely normal and a sign your gut microbiome is active and your digestion is doing its job. If you\u2019re not passing gas at all \u2014 that\u2019s actually the concern. 7. You breathe through your nose at rest. Without thinking about it. Mouth breathing at rest is linked to poor sleep and higher stress responses. If nasal breathing feels natural, your respiratory health is in a good place. 8. You forget about your body for most of the day. No nagging pain. No bloating. No fog, no back issues. When your body is healthy, it runs silently in the background. The absence of noise is the signal. 9. You sweat early when you exercise. People assume this means you\u2019re unfit. It\u2019s the opposite. Early sweating means your thermoregulation is sharp. 10. You have a firm grip! \u2013 Grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of health, disability, and even development of dementia! It reflects neurological function, cardiovascular health and how well you\u2019re aging. If you needed to hear this maybe this account is for you.<\/p>\n \u266c fine line acoustic \u2013 h<\/a> <\/p>\n After TikTok creator Josh Fraser Young shared his own now-viral list of health signals, Metro asked medical professionals which ones they agree with, and what they also recommend looking out for.<\/p>\n Ready to reframe your outlook?<\/p>\n You can put your socks on standing up<\/p>\n This may sound like a basic task to some, but single leg balance<\/a> is one of the strongest predictors of longevity.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAsk Metro<\/p>\n Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/p>\n In fact, as Josh explains, a 2022 study<\/a> found older people who couldn\u2019t stand on one leg for 10 seconds had an 84% higher risk of dying within 10 years.<\/p>\n Dr Grant calls this \u2018a genuinely useful marker rather than just a party trick,\u2019 adding: \u2018Balance relies on a combination of muscle strength, joint stability, and the nervous system, all working together. That combination tends to decline gradually with age or inactivity before people notice it in daily life.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t But Kelly Fisher, health and wellbeing Nurse at Benenden Health also notes that not being able to do this doesn\u2019t mean you are unhealthy.<\/p>\n \u2018There could be lots of reasons stopping you such as muscle tightness or joint stiffness, and many of the people in the study mentioned also had other health conditions such as obesity and heart disease,\u2019 she tells Metro. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re struggling, she advises gentle stretching exercises like yoga to help build flexibility, as well as working on your balance by incorporating single leg balances into your daily routine.<\/p>\n She adds: \u2018Try practicing for 30 seconds on each leg while you brush your teeth or waiting for the kettle to boil.\u2019<\/p>\n You can get up from the floor without using your hands<\/p>\n \u2018Try it, without using your hands, knees, or furniture,\u2019 says Josh in his video. \u2018It requires strength, balance, mobility, coordination, and power all at once. Studies show that people who can do this tend to live longer than those who can\u2019t.\u2019<\/p>\n Kelly agrees, explaining: \u2018This movement can be a really great indicator<\/a> of your aerobic fitness, muscle and core strength, stability, flexibility and balance which are all key thing we need to age healthily and reduce the risk of injuries from falls.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tCan you get up from the floor without using your hands?<\/p>\n I struggle, but manage it eventually.Check<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSign up to Metro’s The Slice newsletter for your guide to what’s on in London, with trusted reviews, offers and giveaways.<\/p>\n As with the sock exercise though, Dr Grant says: \u2018Finding this harder than it used to be is common as people become less active, and on its own isn\u2019t a cause for alarm. <\/p>\n \u2018If it\u2019s become consistently difficult, or is accompanied by joint pain or stiffness, it\u2019s worth having checked, since it can sometimes point to reduced muscle mass or an underlying joint issue.\u2019<\/p>\n You have a firm grip<\/p>\n According to Dr Grant, \u2018grip strength is one of the more reliable indicators on [Josh\u2019s list].\u2019 <\/p>\n \u2018It reflects overall muscle strength<\/a> and neurological function, and research has linked weaker grip strength to a higher risk of frailty and even cognitive decline in later life, which is more than can be said for most quick physical tests,\u2019 he continues.<\/p>\n Once again, however, Kelly highlights that while it \u2018may give a useful indication of overall health,\u2019 it\u2019s \u2018important that it\u2019s not used as a standalone value and that individual circumstances are also considered.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018Consistent hunger signals mean your metabolism and hunger hormones are well regulated,\u2019 says Josh.<\/p>\n And Dr Grant echoes this, explaining that it \u2018can reflect settled blood sugar and eating patterns.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018It is still useful to pay attention to those hungry feelings,\u2019 caveats Kelly. \u2018Sometimes they can appear when we are bored or stressed, sometimes referred as emotional eating, or they may become supressed if you have a high caffeine intake.\u2019<\/p>\n You can hold a deep, flat-footed squat<\/p>\n We\u2019re not talking about a typical gym squat here; rather a resting squat you hold without your heels lifting.<\/p>\n \u2018Being able to hold a flat-footed squat<\/a> does say something about hip and ankle mobility, but is shaped by habit and lifestyle as much as underlying health,\u2019 explains Dr Grant.<\/p>\n Kelly continues: \u2018Tightness in your ankles and hips can make this a difficult manoeuvre along with spending long periods of the day sitting down.<\/p>\n \u2018Practicing deep squats can help with these issues, and a great way is to do the squat with your legs either side of a sturdy doorframe. The doorframe can help you to maintain your balance while your build up to being able to do the movement unsupported.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t Although not included on Josh\u2019s list, Dr Grant says being able to climb a few flights of stairs without becoming breathless (at least not to the point you\u2019re seriously struggling) can \u2018prove useful in measuring health.\u2019<\/p>\n The four-flight stair climb test is actually recommended by the European Society of Cardiology, to help determine overall heart health alongside risk of cardiac conditions.<\/p>\n In studies, those who were able to climb four flights (about 60 steps) at a brisk, steady pace with no stopping and minimal breathlessness in less than 90 seconds were deemed to be at lower risk.<\/p>\n On the contrary, those who needed to stop or experienced significant shortness of breath or chest pain had a higher chance of developing coronary artery disease \u2014 so if that\u2019s the case for you, it could be time to visit your doctor.<\/p>\n You wake up feeling rested<\/p>\n Although Josh highlights waking up before your alarm as a marker of tip-top health, Kelly says it\u2019s a little more nuanced than this.<\/p>\n In her view, quality of rest is a better indicator, as \u2018if you feel groggy when you wake up this can be a sign that you have had a poor quality sleep.\u2019<\/p>\n Numerous studies have linked linked the long-term lack of quality rest<\/a> to a range of issues, from heart disease and type 2 diabetes to cognitive decline and mental health disorders.<\/p>\n Basically, it\u2019s not just about how many hours of shut-eye you get, but that it\u2019s uninterrupted and leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning.<\/p>\n Keep in mind, these aren\u2019t hard and fast rules; they\u2019re merely designed to help you take a broader, more positive look at your health rather than worrying about every little fluctuation.<\/p>\n And even if you tick all these boxes, you should still be mindful of other potential symptoms.<\/p>\n \u2018It can be easy to ignore those niggling signals, but these are messages our body is using to tell us something is wrong,\u2019 adds Kelly. \u2018Make sure during those busier times you spend a few minutes each day checking in with yourself so the messages don\u2019t go unanswered.\u2019<\/p>\n Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/health\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1444073060-3499.jpg\")
\n\t\tGive it a go (Picture: Getty Images\/iStockphoto)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/health\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1495755084-48dc.jpg\")
\n\t\tGet yourself a stress ball or grip trainer to boost your skills here (Picture: Getty Images)
\nYou get hungry at regular times<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/health\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1332112356-edd1.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt\u2019s harder than it looks (Picture: Getty Images)
\nYou can climb a few flights of stairs without getting breathless<\/p>\n
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