Dolly Parton's approach to aging was simple: Keep working, loving, and looking ahead

Country music legend Dolly Parton has died at age 80, and she remained active in her work in music, culture, and philanthropy until the end.

"I still have so many things I want to achieve," she told People four days prior to her death.

Parton had no fear of aging and said she preferred to stay focused on her work rather than worry about a number.

"The way I live, the way I work, the way I feel, I'm going to make every moment count," she told Business Insider's Anneta Konstantinides in a 2023 interview. "I may live to be 100, or I may die tomorrow, but whenever that is, I will know I died trying, and I will know I've done everything I could to make the most of everything."

Parton kept simple habits. She wasn't known for a punishing fitness routine or an optimized diet. And some of her habits — including getting relatively little sleep — run counter to conventional health advice.

But the way she talked about her philosophy on life reflected several qualities researchers have linked to healthy aging: maintaining close relationships, having a sense of purpose, and staying engaged with life.

Parton always had something she wanted to do

Parton was vocal about her drive to keep working and her enthusiasm for art and philanthropy.

"'I ain't got time to get old! I ain't got time to dwell on that. That's not what I'm thinking about," she said in an interview with People.

Parton's determination to keep working past retirement age put her in a growing population. Business Insider's Noah Sheidlower spent a year speaking with nearly 200 Americans who continued working into their 80s, many of whom said work offered more than a paycheck.

Purpose came up in a majority of those interviews, as did mental stimulation and social connection.

Longevity researchers have also shared with Business Insider that purpose and drive can help older adults stay engaged as they age.

For example, in Japan, where people live long, healthy lives compared with other regions in the world, researchers observed a remarkable sense of engagement among aging populations. There, elders are respected and venerated members of the community who take an active role in daily life, from household chores to social events.

Parton had strong relationships

For six decades, Parton was married to her husband, Carl Dean, who remained a source of support outside the spotlight. He died in March 2025 at age 82.

The couple shared a love language — food, especially fast food and classic Southern home cooking — which Parton said was a sustaining part of their lives together.

"We love to just get out in that little camper of ours and drive through restaurants," she told Business Insider in 2022. "I love to get a good burger and french fries on the highway like everybody else, and we go get hot doughnuts now and then. It depends on what we're in the mood for."

Parton also maintained close friendships, including with other musicians such as Reba McEntire and Kenny Rogers, and mentored younger artists, including her goddaughter Miley Cyrus. She met her best friend, Judy Ogle, in the third grade, and the pair stayed close over the decades.

Strong social ties are a major factor in longevity, helping to relieve stress and support both physical and mental resilience as the years go by. Research suggests that isolation can accelerate aging.

Parton woke up at 3 a.m. to pray and reflect

Parton was adamant about starting her day well before most people. She once spoke about waking up around 3 a.m.

She preferred to go to bed early, although Parton told Business Insider in 2022 that she didn't "require as much sleep as a lot of other people do."

Parton's sleep routine gave her a consistent period for reflection and preparation for the day ahead. She used those quiet early hours to pray, reflect, write, and plan.

"That's when I do all my spiritual work, my prayers and my dreaming, my thinking, when all the energies of the world have kind of died down," Parton told People in 2025.

Parton was a lifelong Christian and spoke often about the role faith played in helping her navigate difficult moments.

"I'm a very spiritual person. Every single day, before I do anything, I wake up, and I thank God for the night and ask him to bless the day and to bring all the right things," she told Marie Claire in 2020.

Research has found associations between religious participation and longer life, which may be partly attributable to the community, social connections, and healthy behaviors integral to spiritual life.