Are You "Anti-Aging"?

It's no secret that our society is obsessed with looking young.

As we grow older, things start to change.

Our complexion changes.

Our body composition changes.

Our mental fortitude changes and so and so on.

A wide variety of things happens to our body throughout our lifetime and that's why it's important to do our best to take care of ourselves properly.

The older we get the less our bodies want to function so keeping it in shape is very important.

And while science has made advancements in both topical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, certain lifestyle factors, such as smoking, sleep loss, and sun exposure, can unknowingly sabotage your personal aesthetic goals.

4 Habits That Could Be Making You Age Disgracefully

Although natural aging is a given, inherited by our genes--we do have control over extrinsic aging.

Known as premature aging, it's caused by poor lifestyle habits that actually accelerate skin aging, including wrinkles, rough texture, and uneven pigmentation.

Being aware of any habits that you've formed over the years, intentionally or unintentionally, that might not be that beneficial to your overall well-being will help you self correct those behaviors.

Here are four of the most common habits that could be speeding up your aging process.

Too Much Sun

No surprise here, as you know, too much sun can actually make you like 10 years older!

On the flip side, a healthy amount of Vitamin D can take years off. It can certainly give you that healthy glow. So, there is definitely a fine line.

From basic dryness to a high risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, too many UV rays cause daily damage to the skin.

Smoking and other harmful substances

Another culprit(s) that robs the skin of its health.

Smoking, specifically, not only directly damages the fibers that provide elasticity and support, causing the skin to prematurely wrinkle and droop--but it also decreases the flow of both blood and vital nutrients to the skin's surface, leaving it dry and crinkled looking.

If you're not a smoker but engage in an excess of other harmful substances, you're not doing yourself or anyone around any favors either.

In fact, you're shaving years off of your life by continuing down this path.

Diet

As you know, what you put into your body plays a huge role in how you feel.

A high-fiber diet rich in antioxidant fruits and vegetables will result in a healthier and more radiant complexion.

Do your best to limit alcohol and soda consumption because they deplete your body of its nutrients.

Try adding more wholesome foods, such as lean proteins, fruits, and green leafy vegetables.

If you need some tips on what foods are good for you, check out Foods That Boost Immune System.

Sleep Deprivation

While sleep deprivation is known to cause weight gain and loss of mental concentration, it also affects skin health by robbing it of its productive rejuvenation time.

While you sleep, your skin, as well as your body, undergoes a period of revitalization.

Loss of sleep interrupts this phase. As a result, you'll start to exhibit signs like dark circles under your eyes and a dry flaky complexion.

Summary

Aging is inevitable, but you can certainly make small efforts to ensure that you don't help speed it along.

Even if you do something small to improve your habits every day, those small attempts done every single day will lead to overall better health.

Improving habits like getting a good night's sleep, eating a healthy diet, and using sun protection each day, will help keep both your skin (and body) looking young and vibrant.