In order to enjoy youth and health for a long time, you should pay attention to a healthy life. If you keep your lifestyle in a mess, aging will accelerate as you get older. The body and mind age faster. With the help of the US health portal ‘WebMD’, I pointed out ‘bad habits that fuel aging’.
1. Not getting enough sleep
In general, if you do not get a good night’s sleep for 7 to 9 hours a day, your skin will sag early and wrinkles are likely to form. This is partly due to the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol. When the body produces too much cortisol, it breaks down collagen, making it impossible to keep the skin soft and supple. Before going to bed, you should avoid three things: alcohol, caffeine, and electronic products. And you have to put your mind at ease.
2. Still haven’t quit smoking
Smoking doesn’t just increase your risk of getting cancer. At a relatively young age, wrinkles can become deep and the skin can sag. Smoking reduces blood flow that carries essential nutrients, such as oxygen, to the surface of the skin and can prevent the body from forming collagen. Stop smoking as soon as possible for yourself and your family.
3. Get too much sun
A moderate amount of sunlight is good for the body. However, absorbing too much UV light damages the collagen in the skin and makes too much of a protein called elastin. Because of this, the skin begins to thicken, deep wrinkles and black spots appear, and the skin becomes rough. If you have no choice but to receive direct sunlight all the time, you should wear a hat, long sleeves, and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun. You must use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
4. Not providing enough moisture to the skin
When the skin is dry, it can give a rough and dull impression like an old man. If your skin feels dry, it is best to wash it lightly with water. However, you have to be careful not to over-stimulate it. You should use a mild cleanser that does not contain alcohol or other ingredients that can irritate the skin or dry out and roughen the skin. Moisturizing with a cream twice a day can help you look younger.
5. I don’t eat healthy food properly
A healthy diet prevents heart disease, diabetes, and various diseases that eat away at youth. The Mediterranean diet is good for heart and brain health. You should cut down on fatty red meat and eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, including fish, nuts, olive oil, and avocados, for healthy fats.
6. Not getting enough exercise
Regular physical activity is very important to staying young. It strengthens muscles, boosts energy and improves mood. Being physically active makes your brain smarter and lowers your risk of aging-related diseases, such as heart disease. Going to the gym or joining a rugby team is fine, but it doesn’t have to be. Physical activity such as brisk walking, gardening, or even dancing is sufficient. Move your body for at least 30 minutes a day.
7. Frowning too much outdoors
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, it is advisable to wear sunglasses. If you don’t, your eyes will be squinted and you will frown a lot. This can cause a lot of wrinkles on your face. Repetition of certain facial expressions too often can lead to problems with the overall impression. If you don’t have sunglasses, you can wear a wide-brimmed hat.
8. No social network
Staying in touch and meeting with family and friends can help you feel younger and support your emotional and physical health. It can prevent Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, and dementia associated with old age. When it comes to interacting with others, quality is far more important than quantity.
9. Not checking your blood pressure properly
High blood pressure damages small blood vessels in the brain. This increases the risk of diseases such as vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Controlling your blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medications can slow or prevent brain decline.
10. Don’t help people around you
When you spend money for others, you release more endorphins, the “pleasure hormones,” than when you spend money on yourself. However, you don’t need money every time you reach out a warm helping hand. Helping someone out of your selfish life gives you a sense of serenity, joy, and bonding, and this good feeling makes you do more good things and makes you happy. When this virtuous cycle occurs, stress is reduced, heart health and the immune system, the body’s defenses against germs, are strengthened.
11. Skip the examination without receiving it properly
After the age of 50, it is desirable to have a health checkup every year. In particular, you should check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar frequently. When these levels are high, you are more prone to heart disease, dementia, and age-related diseases. There are also signs of mental decline, such as memory problems. The earlier the problem is discovered, the sooner it can be treated.
By Kim Young-seop, staff reporter [email protected]
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