Aging Is Inevitable, But There Are Ways To Slow Down What’s Coming
You cannot escape getting old, but you can adopt ways to still look and feel good, thanks to the advice of experts who have spent time studying the aging process. You can add more years to your clock and enjoy a youthful life by knowing how to take good care of your body through the elimination of the following habits:
Not getting enough rest and sleep
Perhaps staying up late to enjoy a movie or a book is your kind of relaxation, but the practice is not good for your body. Not getting enough sleep results in dull-looking skin, tired eyes, and bigger eye-bags. Certainly, having this appearance makes us look older and therefore less pleasing to the eyes. Doctors advise that adults should ideally get 7 to 8 hours of sleep to give the body enough time to recharge.
Rubbing your eyes frequently
Resist the urge to touch your eyes frequently whenever they are tired or itchy. Rubbing your eyes causes the collagen to break down and reduce skin elasticity. Loss of elasticity leads to wrinkle-formation and damaged capillaries. Be aware of your tendency to rub your eyes because this action is normally done absent-mindedly.
Sleeping in prone position
Health experts advise that we should avoid sleeping in a prone position where our face is pressed tightly against the pillow or sheets. Dermatologists say that this habit, over time, causes skin trauma and contributes to developing creases on the face as collagen is diminished. The regeneration process of the skin is also hampered by the inadequate blood circulation that happens when you sleep this way.
Living a sedentary life
Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Regular physical activity helps reduce cortisol levels and promotes the production of good hormones. Exercise likewise regulates blood pressure and makes the body stronger as you grow older. By living an active life, you can arrest age-related illnesses and lengthen your lifespan.
Giving in to sugar and junk food cravings
Sugar-rich food facilitates your body’s aging process. Not only will your figure be affected, but it can contribute to developing diseases such as diabetes and skin problems. The sugar that you consume undergoes a process of binding with proteins in your body and producing new molecules that destroy nearby protein fibers that make skin elastic. Lack of skin elasticity results in the formation of wrinkles. The same is true when you eat junk food that is loaded with high levels of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Such processed foods are recipes for fast aging and reaching an unhealthy state of being overweight and afflicted with a cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Always go for unprocessed foods that are high in fiber, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and filled with antioxidants.
Not watching your weight
Exercising and following a balanced and healthy diet are the classic ways to maintain your weight. What is even more dangerous is regaining weight, which brings up dramatically the level of ‘bad’ cholesterol and insulin level. Be aware of your body-mass index (BMI) and endeavor to fall within your range. One of the best signs of defying age is being able to maintain your correct BMI as you get older. Not an impossible thing to do, but one that is worth the effort.
Smoking and alcohol drinking
Undoubtedly, smoking shortens your life. A 2002 study in the US showed that quitting at age 35 add eight years to the smokers’ life, as different from those who continue to smoke. On the other hand, smokers who quit in their mid-60s add just a few years to their life. The sooner you quit, the higher is the chance for you to live a longer life. Smokers are at a greater risk of developing life- threatening diseases, especially as smoking triggers the release of free radicals that wear away your body. Similarly, those who consume excessive amounts of alcohol are likely to have a shorter life. Having huge volumes of alcohol in the body is likely to damage the liver, lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.
Not drinking enough water
Your water intake should be more than adequate because this is the basic secret to have a younger-looking skin. You need water to rejuvenate and moisturize your skin to make it more elastic and firm. Skin that is undernourished with water is prone to damage and wrinkles, which obviously make you appear older. Aside from your regular, generous intake of water, eat foods that contain a lot of water like eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, and other similar fruits and veggies.
Holding a grudge
It’s true that your emotional state and mental condition affect how your body responds to aging. If you’re the type who finds it hard to let go of emotional baggage, then expect to be traveling the aging road much faster. There have been studies that show the association between physical health and forgiveness, and the results reveal that holding a grudge leads to increased nervous symptoms that require medications and impact on sleep quality. The condition also tends to bring up cortisol in the body, which can induce elevation of blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Not getting a breather
Take a break to relax and rejuvenate. Stress adds a lot of years to you, and not allowing yourself to get a respite from time to time is a disaster in the making. A lot of diseases and symptoms are induced by stress, and more often than not, those easily susceptible to illnesses are the ones who do not know how to relax for a moment. It does not mean that you will run away from your problems, but rather, it entails teaching yourself to react positively to stress by accepting situations and adapting to possible stressors by altering your expectations. Then, and only then can you savor relaxation time.
No humor in your life
Be serious when you need to be, but don’t take life too seriously. Learn how to think positive and don’t dwell on negative thoughts. Live light by injecting humor into your life and accepting challenges with a smile on your face. Much like the earlier advice about not holding a grudge, always try to see the brighter side of any situation and learn how to laugh at your mistakes. In this way, you can go through life without a chip on your shoulder and a heavy heart.
You can’t run away from old age, but you can slow it down while enjoying the journey at the same time. Turn your life around by turning your bad habits into good ones that will work to your advantage.