Can you stand on one leg for 10 seconds?

Try it right now: stand on one leg for 10 seconds, without holding on. Easy? Or did you wobble?

This simple test says more about your health than you might think. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at people aged 51 to 75. Those who could not balance on one leg for 10 seconds had a nearly doubled risk of dying in the following years.

The study shows a link, not a cause. But it makes one thing clear: balance is a sign of how well your whole body works together. And the good news is that balance can be trained, at any age.

Meet Daria: Olympian, record holder, still training at 60

To learn more about balance and healthy aging, we spoke with Daria Nauer. She competed for Switzerland at two Olympic Games. At the 1994 European Championships in Helsinki, she ran the 10,000 metres in 31:35.96 minutes, winning bronze and setting a Swiss record. More than 30 years later, that record still stands.

Daria ran marathons for many years. Today she leads running workshops, and this year she turned 60. Winning races is no longer her goal. "I want to stay fit as I grow older," she says.

Balance is more than not falling over

Most people think of balance as staying upright. For Daria, it means more. "Balance also means being with yourself, in your own centre, at peace with yourself," she says.

Body and mind affect each other, and Daria experienced this first-hand. In 1994, a few weeks before the European Championships, a long relationship ended. Mentally, she wasn't where she wanted to be. Physically, she was in top form.

"My physical fitness helped me find my mental strength again," she remembers. She turned that energy into her race, and set the Swiss record that still stands today.

We often hear that a strong mind helps the body. Daria's story shows it works the other way round too. She compares it to a puzzle: body, mind, nutrition and attitude are pieces that only show the full picture together.

Stable, but not stiff

Stability sounds like something rigid, like a building or two parts bolted together. In the human body, it works differently. Our bones give us structure, while muscles, tendons and ligaments keep us flexible. Real stability comes from both working together.

Our feet are a good example. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles and tendons. "If just one part doesn't work together with the rest, there's a problem somewhere," Daria explains.

This matters in everyday life, and even more in sport. Running is a series of small jumps, and our feet are the body's first shock absorbers. With every step, the body takes several times its own weight. Over a marathon, that adds up to many tonnes.

If feet, ankles, knees and hips aren't stable enough, the risk of injury goes up. Daria sees knee, hip and back problems most often. With good stability, you push off more powerfully, and running becomes smoother and more efficient.

Why strength matters more as we age

Daria still trains, just differently than before. Strength training now comes first, and endurance takes a back seat.

A few years ago, she read about a sports scientist who said: if he had to choose between endurance and strength training in old age, he would choose strength. Without strength, you risk needing care. "That really stuck with me," Daria says. "I want to grow old with strength."

Her experience from decades of training also applies here. The body needs new challenges to keep improving, and rest to recover. Training the same way every day isn't the goal.

It's never too late to start

Our brain stays able to learn and adapt into old age. That's why Daria's most important message is a simple one: "It's never too late to start."

Daria's tips for getting started

• Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. It fits into your day and builds confidence step by step.
• Walk barefoot at home as often as you can. We spend too much time in shoes, and our foot muscles weaken because of it.
• Close your eyes. Once standing on one leg feels easy, try it with your eyes closed. That's when you notice how good your balance really is.
• Add strength training. Even a gentle start makes a difference.
• Plan rest days. Your body gets stronger while it recovers.

Balance training at home: Daria and the SLACKBOARD

When Daria was competing, there was no SLACKBOARD. She has been using one for about two months now. Would she have liked to have it back then? "Then I would have had to train even more," she jokes.

What she values most is that it can stay in the living room. "I use it when I'm on the phone, or just when I walk past." And when visitors come over, the SLACKBOARD is the first thing they step on.

For Daria, the special thing is the combination: strength, coordination, balance and inner calm. "If you're not calm inside, it takes much longer until you can stand on it."

She also uses the app, which reminds her to train every day. "I'm sticking with it."

Balance for life

At the end of our conversation, we asked Daria what connects balance on the SLACKBOARD with balance in life. Her answer: more happiness and more quality of life, for longer.

So tomorrow morning, try standing on one leg while you brush your teeth. It's a small start. But as Daria shows, small starts can take you a long way.