The anti-aging trends that are actually worth your time

In Saturday's edition of Insider Today, we're looking at longevity trends, $1 Italian homes, and steak house red flags.

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Happy Saturday! Daylight-saving time officially starts tomorrow, so don't forget to change your clocks. The time change can be a pain for some, but personally I'm looking forward to longer days.

Today, we have different ways to help you live a healthier, more productive life. Let's jump in.

On the agenda today:

• Remember those $1 homes in Italy? One couple actually bought two of them.

• Look out for these red flags the next time you eat at a fancy steak house.

• The Oscars start an hour earlier tomorrow. We've got thoughts on who will win.

• Stretch your money: What $280 a night gets you in Morocco.

  But first: The longevity trends that are actually worth your time.

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Dispatch

Tired or wired: Longevity edition

Since last year, the conversation surrounding longevity has been heating up, sparked in part by biotech founder Bryan Johnson's multimillion-dollar quest to rewind the clock.

But not everyone's a Bryan Johnson — many of us are strapped for time and cash. I asked Mia de Graaf, Business Insider's deputy executive editor of health, which anti-aging trends are actually worth it.

Do it:

• Rucking: You don't even need a gym to cash in on this trend. Rucking, or carrying weight over distance, can improve cardiovascular fitness and strengthen our muscles and bones. Oh, and Silicon Valley loves it.

• Sleep hygiene: High-quality sleep is imperative to longevity. Recent research suggests that a consistent sleep schedule may be even more important than how many hours you get.

Skip it:

• Cold plunges: You've probably seen people on social media dipping into an ice bath. While it's popular right now, Mia says "we haven't seen very good evidence that a dip in cold or ice water does anything for your immune system."

"We all want a silver bullet — a pill or drink or habit that will be the elixir of youth," Mia told me. But she said some of the most effective longevity tricks are actually simple, and well within our control: eating well, sleeping well, and connecting with others.

This couple is living your Italian dreams

Remember when a few small Italian towns were selling disheveled homes for $1? The deal, meant to help revitalize local communities and economies, drew a lot of interest when it went viral in 2019.

One couple, Tam and Gary Holm, was among the people who actually participated in the $1 home deal. They wound up spending about $30,000 for two properties — but say it's been worth every penny.

The $1 home project, five years later.

Also read:

• A 114-year-old Texan is now the oldest living American. Here are 6 lifestyle choices that may have helped her stay healthy for so long.

• What was the true cost of Italy's $1 home scheme?

High-end steak house red flags

Dining out at a steak house is an indulgent — and pricey — experience. But if you're going to shell out the money, you want to make sure you're eating at a good establishment.

Two former "Top Chef" contestants, who also own a steak house, shared what differentiates luxury steak houses from more mediocre options. It turns out you can tell a lot about the restaurant based on how sharp their knives are.

These are the signs to look out for.

Here's who should win the Oscars

The Oscars, the biggest awards event in film, will be held Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET. As you might expect, blockbuster movies like "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie" are up for several awards.

And while "Oppenheimer" is predicted to snag multiple big wins, others, like "The Holdovers," could surprise us in a few categories.

Read our full list of predictions.

Also read:

• Ron Perlman has made peace with the death of 'Hellboy 3'

Vacation in a Moroccan riad

You can't visit Morocco without staying in a riad. The lavish homes, which once belonged to society's elite, typically consist of several floors, centered around a lush courtyard.

This writer stayed at AnaYela, a 300-year-old riad in Marrakesh, for $280 a night. The stay was luxurious from start to finish, and came with breakfast and transportation to and from the airport.

See inside the elegant AnaYela.

What we're watching this weekend

• "Poor Things": The Oscar contender is available to stream on Hulu ahead of the awards show, as are several other nominated films.

• "The Traitors" season 2: Catch the reality competition show's finale and reunion special that aired this week.

• "The Gentlemen": Guy Ritchie's new crime drama for Netflix (based on his 2019 movie of the same name) is a ton of fun and a perfect easy weekend watch.

  See the full list

More of this week's top reads

• A woman who's visited nearly all US National Parks thinks you can skip these five.

• An ex-resident who lived on a cruise ship for millionaires described what life was like.

• Formula 1 "fan girls" are taking over and redefining what it means to love motorsports.

• A Gen Zer who pays £108 per month for a Soho House membership says it's worth the fee.

• This is what one woman did to prevent loneliness after her husband died.

• Tripadvisor has a new AI tool to plan vacations — here's how it works.

• A Gen Z woman ditched NYC for Milan and was shocked by how much vacation Italians get.

• Wells Fargo's newest credit card rivals other top travel cards.

• Ariana Madix is actually killing it as Roxie Hart in "Chicago."

• Oscars nominees get a $170,000 gift bag.

The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor-in-chief, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York.