Michael Douglas turns 82 later this month, but the Oscar winner has no intention of slowing down.

Instead, the Wall Street actor continues to prioritise one of the simplest habits for healthy ageing: staying active. Whether that’s a long walk through New York’s Central Park or continuing to work as both an actor and producer, Douglas believes keeping moving – physically and mentally – is key.

Sharing a video from a Sunday stroll through Central Park, Douglas revealed he’d been walking for an hour and a half before finally calling it a day.

‘Oh man, it’s been an hour and a half – I’m tired,’ he said. ‘Not bad for a [nearly] 82-year-old. Look at this park, it’s just magical. Everybody’s here on a beautiful Sunday.’

Afterwards, he hopped into the back of a pedicab for a lift home from his friend Ahmed.

‘Happy Sunday! Back in NYC… nothing beats a Sunday walk through the park and a ride around town. Hope you’re all having a great weekend!’ he wrote on Instagram.

Staying Active in Your 80s

Long walks aren’t the only way Douglas keeps himself engaged.

He’s previously spoken about his desire to keep working long after many people retire, saying the mental stimulation is just as valuable as the physical activity.

‘Memory is tough. Memorising lines takes longer and I don’t like that anxious feeling that you don’t have it locked in,’ he told the Mirror.

‘In most jobs, they kick you out at 65. So I love what I am doing and it keeps me going. I can only play so much golf.’

Being More Intentional with Time

Douglas also believes ageing has changed the way he approaches his days.

‘The upside of ageing is that you choose how you spend your time much more carefully,’ he says.

‘Rather than just going with the flow, you wake up in the morning and you think about what you are going to do that week.’

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_