The #1 Killer In The U.S and How To Beat It!

In the book Younger Next Year, authors Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge argue that retirement is one of the most dangerous moments in a person’s life—not because of age, but because of the sudden loss of purpose, structure, and movement.

They claim that retirement is the “number one killer” in America, not because people stop working, but because they often stop doing.

The shift from an active, engaged lifestyle to a sedentary, unstructured one leads to a rapid decline in both physical and emotional health.

Without daily movement, meaningful goals, and social connection, the body begins to break down through what the authors call "decay," a process that accelerates aging, illness, and death.

The book emphasizes that the human body is wired to grow or decay—there’s no in-between.

Retirement often signals the beginning of decay when people permit themselves to stop pushing, learning, and moving.

The cure, according to Younger Next Year, is not to avoid retirement but to retire with intention:

Stay physically active every day, maintain strong social bonds, and set new challenges that keep you mentally and emotionally engaged.

In this way, the authors suggest you can “retire” from your job, but never retire from life—because the minute you do, the clock starts ticking faster.