10 Poor Habits That Make You Look Older Every Single Day

Do you think you look older than you are? Besides genetics and smoking, many other lifestyle factors contribute to premature aging. The surprising thing is, you might be doing them every day.

10 Poor Habits That Make You Look Older Every Single Day

While you can’t reverse the clock, you can do something to slow down signs of aging by avoiding the following culprits.

1. Crash dieting

While it makes you look sexy instantly, crash dieting and being underweight can have negative long-term effects both on your health and looks.

It can make you feel older by reducing your energy level and messing with your mood and concentration. The instant drastic weight drop can also reduce the natural fats in the facial structure which allows the skin to sag and adds to the appearance of wrinkles – the hallmarks of an aged, weary look.

2. Sticking to extremely low-fat diets

While diets low in fat are ideal for losing weight, eradicating fat may speed up your aging process. Not all fats are bad. In fact, you must consume healthy fats regularly. Omega-3 fatty acids, for instance, are essential for maintaining smooth, healthy-looking skin and improving heart health.

3. Sleeping less

We always take sleep for granted, don’t we? For sure you’ve seen how a day or two without complete sleep can show the ugly signs – lackluster skin, dark circles and eye bags, fine lines, and reduced skin elasticity. Chronic sleep deprivation can make these unsightly features permanent.

Poor sleep quality can accelerate signs of aging and decrease the skin’s ability to repair itself at night and recover after sun exposure. Besides, you’re more likely to feel weak, slow, and irritable.

4. Being stressed and busy all the time

Chronic stress, along with exhaustion is another proven cause of premature aging.

It has something to do with stress hormones. When you’re stressed, your body goes into action and produces large quantities of chemicals cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. While they help increase alertness, they wreak havoc on your skin’s elasticity.

Factors like little sleep, constant frowning, poor diet, lack of exercise, and skincare neglect, which come with stress, make your skin’s appearance even worse. You may notice dull, sagging skin, eye bags and dark circles, wrinkles and fine lines, acne, gray hairs, and body aches, which all contribute to looking older and more exhausted.

5. Skipping fruits and vegetables

Want to have a healthier, younger-looking complexion? Consider a more colorful diet with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

In case you didn’t know, antioxidants help reduce inflammation, allowing the skin to repair itself and rectify visible damage. Load up on foods rich in Vitamins A, C, and E. Don’t forget to include heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and fiber too.

6. Smoking occasionally

Just because you’re an “occasional smoker” doesn’t mean your habits don’t have that much effect on you. At the end of the day, you’re still consuming tobacco, which contains more than 3800 chemical components that damage skin tissues. Every cigarette you puff triggers enzymes that destroy the skin’s elasticity, causing fine lines and wrinkles, and even cause gray hair.

7. Skipping sunscreen

Believe it or not, the number one product for preventing skin aging and skin cancer has long been available in the market yet not everyone seems to be using them: Sunscreen.

Sunscreen shields your skin from developing signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles brought by your daily exposure to the sun’s damaging UV rays. It’s not just for beach use - it’s for everyday use, whether it’s hot and sunny or cloudy outside.

8. Tolerating poor posture

Facial appearance isn’t the only factor that shows your age – your posture also plays an important role. Your everyday habits, like looking down on your phone and slouching when working, deflects the backbone of its normal alignment. These damages result not only in pain and fatigue but also in looking older.

9. Neglecting your dental health

Next, to your skin appearance, your teeth are also one of the first places to dictate your age. Needless to say, incomplete or damaged set of teeth can seriously take a toll on your appearance. Protect your youthful smile by brushing and flossing regularly and visiting your dentist for regular checkups. Investing in other cosmetic procedures can also help take years off your look.

10. Wearing too much makeup

It’s ironic how something you use to make you look prettier and more youthful can do the opposite in the long run. Aside from the fact that many makeup products contain harsh chemicals that irritate the skin, they also clog the pores and strip your skin of its natural oils. Not washing them properly makes things worse.

Author Bio: 

Carmina Natividad is a resident writer for Géniale Skin Cancer Clinic, a medical aesthetic and skin cancer institute, providing top of the line services from industry-leading skin cancer treatments to innovative medical aesthetic procedures. She writes articles focusing on cosmetic, medical, and surgical care, and wellness.