Want To Keep Looking Youthful? 11 Mistakes To Avoid
1. Not Sleeping Enough
If you don't get enough sleep, your skin can start to wrinkle and sag early. That's in part because your body releases more cortisol, a "stress hormone" that breaks down the collagen that can keep your skin smooth and springy. Try to have a quiet, soothing bedtime habit with regular hours, and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and electronics benfore bed.
2. Smoking
If you smoke tobacco, besides increasing your chances of getting cancer, you could end up with wrinkled, sagging skin at a younger age. Smoking reduces blood flow that carries essential nutrients like oxygen to the surface of your skin and may slow your body's production of collagen. Talk to your doctor about ways to break the habit.
3. Staying in the Sun Too Much
Some sunlight is good for you, but soaking up too many UV rays damages collagen in your skin and can cause your body to make too much of a protein called elastin. You might see your skin start to thicken and develop a rough feel with deep wrinkles and varied color (age spots). If you must be in direct sun, cover up with hats, long sleeves, and sunglasses. Use a "broad spectrum" sunscreen that's got a rating of SPF 30 or higher.
4. Not Moisturizing Your Skin
If your skin dries out, it may give you the rough and scaly look of an older person. Wash your skin once or twice a day. Try to do it gently because hard scrubbing can irritate it. Use a mild cleanser without alcohol or other ingredients that may inflame, roughen, or dry out your skin. Moisturize with cream twice per day to help seal in moisture that can keep you looking young.
5. Not Eating Healthy
The right foods keeps you from heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses that sap your youthful energy. Get the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. It's good for your brain, too. You can have to cut back a little on fatty red meat, but you'll get healthy fats from foods such as fish, nuts, olive oil, and avocado, as well as plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
6. Not Exercising Enough
Regular physical activity is an important way to keep yourself feeling young. It hardens your muscles, boosts your energy, and improves your mood. Walking around keeps your brain sharp and reduces the risk of age-related diseases like heart disease. You don't need to go to a gym or join a rugby team. Just Some brisk walking, yard work, or even dancing is enough --even less than 30 minutes on most days of the week should do the trick.
7. Squinting a Lot
When you squint, you crinkle up the skin on your face, which at a long run can lead to lines and wrinkles. Actually, any expression you make over and over may be a problem. If you're outside a lot, sunglasses can keep you from squinting and help prevent the "crow's feet" that might develop on the outside corners of your eyes. A large brimmed hat wouldn't hurt either.
8. Not Having a Social Network
Being connected with friends and family can help you stay young at heart -- and improve your emotional and physical health, too. It can help stave off anxiety, depression, and the dementia linked to old age, like Alzheimer's disease. And when you look for a community, remember, the quality of your social connections is more important than t the quantity.
9. Not Watching Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure increases your risk of age-related problems including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease, probably because it damages the tiny blood vessels in your brain. People who control their blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medication tend to be able to slow or prevent this brain decline.
10. Not Lending a Helping Hand
Your body releases more "pleasure hormones," or endorphins, while you spend money on other people than when you spend it on yourself. But it doesn't have to be only money. The calmness, pleasure, and connection you feel when you help someone usually makes you do it more, which in turn makes you even calmer and happier. It reduces stress and can even help your heart health and immune system -- your body's protection against germs.
11. Avoiding Checkups
You should meet your doctor for a physical exam every year after the age of 50,to have regular checks of your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. High levels can cause heart disease, dementia, and other age-related illness and also check for any signs of mental decline, memory problems. Remember,the earlier you find out about problems, the faster you can start to treat them.
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