Yes, you could be making yourself age quicker. And if you’re over the age of 25, you definitely should be thinking about the things that make you age quickly. Science proves that after 25, it’s all downhill for us. Our skin starts to lose its elasticity, sun damage begins to show (especially for sunbed users), and we lose our moisture.
In general, it’s no fun getting older. Some people say you can age gracefully, but most people will admit they would at least love to age gracefully, but not as aggressively. So then you have to look at the causes and what we could do to make ourselves age quicker. Read on to find out more.
Diet
Sorry to say it, people, but that takeaway you’re having at the end of every week isn’t doing you any favours. Well, it will be; there’s nothing wrong with activating the pleasure responses in the brain through food; it’s good for us. What’s not good for us is eating an average diet with minimal nutrient density all week and then topping it off with a Friday chippy tea because you deserve it.
We should be filling our diets with nutrient-dense, single-ingredient foods. That is the new trend right now – single-ingredient foods. Foods that are what they should be and without preservatives, thickeners, and whatever else brands can put in them to keep them on the shelf longer and increase their potential to sell.
That’s the best advice we can give you. Eat a nutrient dense, single-ingredient diet and have a treat meal every so often!
Lifestyle
Do you love to have a glass (or bottle) of wine every weekend and spend as much time in bed and on the sofa? We get it – the daily grind isn’t fun. But those exact habits could be making you age quicker, and before you know it, you’re looking for the best anti-wrinkle treatment.
Ideally, we should be limiting the alcohol we drink to special occasions, prioritising 10,000 steps and, ideally, some weighted workouts. Science now proves that the more muscle density we have as we age, the better we age.
But we also don’t think you should take it to the extreme. Social media is making us believe we should be sleeping with our phones in the next room, getting 8 hours of sleep, meditating, journaling, positive affirmations, specific diets, 2 litres of water…and all that is good. But only some of it will help us age better.
Stress/Depression
Stress and depression are big issues, especially for Gen Z’s and Gen Alphas; science shows us the Millennials pretty much missed the stress/depression epidemic primarily because they didn’t grow up using social media. Will they never suffer from stress and depression? No, but younger generations are more likely to experience it.
Why does stress and depression age you? Science proves that constant stress and stress related depression causes inflammation and damage to the DNA cells, accelerating the sign of ageing.
Out of all the things we’ve discussed, finding ways to manage your mental health is essential. There are so many online free help platforms!
Which do you think you’re most guilty of? We’re all guilty of making ourselves age quicker without realising it, some of us more than others! Focusing on a youthful, healthy, fulfilling life is essential, but even more so is finding a balance between everything.