Everything that we do in life has consequences. Whether it’s something small such as choosing the regular soda over the diet soda, or something big such as deciding to have a family, it’s the commitments we make that eventually define who we are and how we deal with various situations in life.
When it comes to our bodies, there are many bad decisions that we’ll make throughout life. For example, the foods we eat could drastically age our bodies faster than you might expect, or a lack of exercise could make your skin sag and look dull. In order to age ourselves gracefully, we need to start taking control of our habits and finding ways to slow down the ageing process.
Sadly, there are many things we do without even knowing it that can affect our physical appearance and age us prematurely. In this post, we’ll be discussing some of the things that we commonly do that can lead to early ageing and how we can stop those bad habits in exchange for better ones that will keep us younger for longer.
Trying to multitask on a regular basis can quickly lead to premature ageing due to the amount of stress it causes.
Not Using the Correct Beauty Products
Beauty products are essential for keeping your body young and full of life. However, everyone’s skin and body are different, hence why there are so many different products available on the market. There’s a good chance that you’re using the wrong products or you’re not using something that is stronger and more potent than your current lineup of skincare.
Take a look at reviews of LifeCell and popular similar anti-ageing treatments in order to get a better understanding of what’s available on the market. From eye creams to night creams, there are many different categories of beauty products and it’s important not to stick to a single variety when there is so much choice out there available to you.
It’s also important that you watch how much makeup you use on yourself. It’s a fact that using too many oil-based makeup products can block the pores of your skin, causing outbreaks of spots and ruining your complexion. Make sure you don’t overuse certain products that irritate your skin and focus on keeping a clean and clear face through a healthy diet, exercise and hygiene.
Multitasking Too Much in Your Life
You’re a busy person and there are things you have to do each day–we get it. You want to do these tasks as quickly as efficiently as possible so you decide to multitask. You’ll be cradling your baby child in one hand as you’re answering business-related calls with the other. Or you could be cooking dinner while you’re watching or listening to a recap of a university lecture that you missed or didn’t have time for. We’re all busy people, but you need to put a stop to excessive multitasking if you want to age gracefully.
Many studies have shown that attempting too many tasks at once can trigger stress and will mentally fatigue you faster than just single-tasking. Doctors have begun to suggest focusing on one thing at a time so that you don’t overwhelm your mind with tasks and thus, increase your chances of stressing yourself out.
Getting a regular amount of sleep each night is one of the keys to slowing down the ageing process. (Photo: Pexels)
Not Getting Enough Sleep
We get it, you’re busy and don’t have time to sleep because there are more important things to do. Sadly, this is just the perception that people have regarding sleeping. They think it’s a waste of time because you’re not doing anything, but oh how wrong they are.
Sleep is arguably one of the most important functions of the body. When you’re resting, your body is automatically repairing itself. It heals damaged cells and restores your energy, allowing you to quite literally renew yourself every night. It’s far more important and crucial to the anti-ageing process than most people give it credit for. They believe that you’re not doing anything because you’re unconscious. In reality, your body is hard at work and you need to give it time to heal your body if you want to slow down the ageing process.
Forgetting the Sunscreen
Sunscreen is incredibly important especially if you live in a sunny location. However, many people only wear sunscreen on holiday or when they’re out at the beach when they think they’re exposed to the sun the most.
However, you’re going to be exposed to the sun throughout the day whether you like it or not. The moment you step outside without a big hat or umbrella, the sun’s UV rays are going to be hitting your skin and it’s going to be the exact same situation as if you were on the beach. Sure, only your arms, your shoulders or maybe your face are going to be affected, but those are still unprotected parts of your body.
If you want to ensure that your body is protected at all times, then consider wearing sunscreen whenever you’ll be exposed to the sun and not just when you’re on a beach.
Regular exercise can go a long way in helping you maintain your figure, but it can also reduce the effects of ageing on your body.
Neglecting Physical Activity
People often mistake physical activity for strenuous tasks like running, lifting weights or cycling for long periods of time. However, physical activity can literally just mean getting up off your chair and stretching. You don’t need to do very much for it to be considered physical activity, and with the sedentary lifestyles that most of us live nowadays, it’s speeding up our ageing and we have the power to stop it.
Sitting too much can increase your chances of kidney disease and obesity in addition to ageing you prematurely. It’s important to get a little bit of exercise in your day, even if it’s just walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator (or walking down the stairs at the end of the day–it’s easier!) or even doing some light stretching before and after work. All it takes is a bit of physical activity to safeguard you against some of the more worrying consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
Leaving Your Heating on All the Time
While it might feel warm and cosy to leave the heating on the moment you feel a shiver, it’s incredibly important that you leave your central heating off as much as possible. This is because the heat will gradually reduce the moisture in the air until it’s very dry. This moisture is essential for keeping your skin nice and smooth. Without it, you’re going to experience damaged and cracked skin due to a lack of moisture in your skin. This will accelerate the ageing process and quickly lead to wrinkles and further damage.
If you still want to stay warm, then make sure you invest in a humidifier or at least some sensors to check the humidity in your home. You should be aiming for around 50% humidity, and this can easily be set with the right equipment. This will prevent your skin from flaking and itching, thus slowing down the ageing process. While it’s great to stay nice and toasty, just keep the ageing properties of low humidity in mind.
Those cups of coffee might be helping you wake up, but caffeine can dehydrate your body and increase the appearance of wrinkles over time. (Photo: Pexels)
You’re Not Watching Your Diet
Your diet is one of the biggest factors to think about when it comes to anti ageing. Unhealthy habits like chowing down on sweets is a terrible habit to have, and even skipping out fats can be detrimental to your physical appearance. It’s not just your weight that is affected–your appearance will be changed as well!
Sweets are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to ageing because they can lead to a loss of facial contours and increased wrinkles due to the way sugars interact with our cells. This is a process known as glycation. Sugar isn’t the only problem with our diets, however. Eating too many whole grains, fruits or even vegetables can also lead to glycation, so it’s best to watch your diet and consider reading more information about how to achieve a good balance.
Some Final Words
As you can see, there are many lifestyle changes we can make in order to reduce the effects of ageing. Just keep in mind that there is only so much we can do. Eventually, our age is going to catch up to us and no matter how clean your diet is or how healthy your body becomes, you’re going to succumb to the effects of ageing sooner or later. However, until that happens, practice better habits and get rid of these poor habits so you can fight against time and slow down your premature ageing.