Aging Before your Age? Check These Habits out!

Hema Dhawan, TIR: Do you think you are aging before your age? If the glance of yourself in the mirror makes you feel that then may be it is the time you check some of your daily routines. Food and sleep are said to have a lot of effect on how we look and how long we live, but there are many more daily habits that affect the look and feel of our skin and body. Have a look below to know some of the most common age- speeding habits people have and ways to correct them for a younger and beautiful you:

• You love multi-tasking – People around you must be going gaga over your multi-tasking skills, but do you know that your body must not be appreciating it enough. Dr. Rayond Casciari, CMO, St. Joseph Hospital, California says, “People think multitasking is good, but you don’t actually get anything done-you just create more stress”. As per studies conducted on same, suggest, chronic stress leads to release of free radicals that damage cells and lead to aging. It is better to do a task at a time to keep you healthy and fit, suggests Dr. Casciari.
• You indulge in sweet addictions – Your sweet tooth can one of the reasons of freckles on your face. Yes, the sugar treats you love to have not only add to the body weight but also lead to glycation which results in dark circles, puffiness, increased wrinkles and fine lines. Glycation, as defined by Dr. Susuan Stuart, board certified Dermatologist of San Diego, is a process where the sugar molecules attach themselves to protein fibres in each of the body cells.
• TV keeps you a lot busy – If you love to have a TV marathon on most of the days of the week, chances are that your body is aging faster than your age. TV watching is an inactive activity and as per Dr. Casciari sitting for more than 30 minutes in the same position leads to sugar deposits in body cells making one overweight and tired. Also, British Journal of Sports Medicine research when conducted on 11,000 Australians aging 25 years or older revealed that every hour of TV watched, reduces the life expectancy by approximate 22 minutes.
• You save on sunscreen – Are you one of those who only use sunscreen while stepping out of your house on a sunny day? Well, if yes, then this is what is leading to premature aging. Dr. Sarah L Taylor, Associate Professor Dermatology states that UV light is present even on days when there are clouds or is raining. A sunscreen of SPF 30-50 is recommended on all days. Put the layer on and keep the freckles and wrinkles away!
• You sleep with face on pillow – Sleeping for less hours result in dark eye circles. But, did you know that sleeping with your face on pillow can also be a reason to give you wrinkles and fine lines? Dr. James C Marotta, Facial Plastic Surgeon and Skincare Expert says, “the connective tissue and collagen in your face becomes weaker and less supportive with age. So when you sleep on the same side of your face night after night, your skin won’t smooth out or spring back as quickly as it did when you were young”. The crease lines developed from such sleeping can become permanent and start showing.
• Sipping with a straw is what you do – If you enjoy your drinks only when sipped with a straw then it is the time to check on this habit of yours. Pursing lips can result in premature wrinkling near the mouth. As per the dermatologists, the same effect is created by smoking cigarette.

There is no fat in your diet – Some amount of fat is good for your skin and body. Heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids present in oily fish like salmon and nuts such as flax seeds and walnuts help preventing wrinkles and keep the skin supple and youthful. Not only this, such foods also accelerate brain and heart health as well. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consumption of fish at least twice a week for glowing skin.

Aging gracefully with age is what all we aim for. A slight modification in our daily habits can help us to prevent aging early. Eat well, sleep well, exercise every day and make these small changes and look beautiful every day!