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Seven Harmless Habits that Age You
2020-03-19It's the little things you do -- day in and day out -- that play a role in how fast you age in health and appearance. Seemingly harmless habits may be sabotaging your quest for youth. Being aware of lifestyle habits that are speeding up your clock is the first step in correcting them and turning back the hands of time -- or at least slowing them down a little.
Getting Too Little, or Too Much, Sleep
Repetitive nights of short sleep may lead to an early death, according to a review published in 2010 in "Sleep." Researchers found that those who got less than five hours of sleep per night had a greater risk. The risk also applied to those who got more than eight hours of sleep on a regular basis. It is not clear if short sleep, or excessive sleep, is a cause of ill health or the result of it.
Sitting With Smokers
Second-hand smoke can age you. Researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine report that second-hand smoke can put a woman's body into early menopause. Published in the November-December 2008 issue of "Menopause," researchers state that early menopause increases the risks of heart disease and cancer. Second-hand smoke also ages your brain, according to researchers from Cambridge University, published in the February 2009 issue of "BMJ." Decline in brain function and dementia often occur with aging, but exposure to second-hand smoke increases your risk of that happening.
Holding a Grudge
Holding a grudge can accelerate aging, according to a study in the August 2013 issue of "Brain, Behavior and Immunity." In the study, researchers examined the length of telomeres, which the University of Utah explains are like protective coverings on the ends of DNA strands that prevent damage to chromosomes. Short telomeres can speed up the aging process and are often the result of stress, including not forgiving things in the past. The telomeres of those who practiced loving-kindness meditation -- wishing well to all people -- had longer telomere lengths.
Eating Dessert
Sugar increases the aging of your skin, according to a report in the July-August 2010 issue of "Clinical Dermatology." The report states that sugar -- fructose and glucose -- cross-link collagen fibers and make them difficult to repair. Collagen is the building block of firm, smooth skin. This aging effect is not limited to skin, but occurs in all body tissues.
Bringing Home the Bacon
Not picking on bacon alone, but a high-fat diet of any source could accelerate aging, according to researchers at Tohoku University in Japan. In the study, published in the April 2010 issue of "Biogerontology," researchers state that when mice were fed a high fat diet they showed signs of a rise in triglycerides, insulin, fat deposits in the liver and a rapid increase in aging.
Five More Minutes in the Sun
Sun exposure is the primary cause of aging skin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Every moment you spend in the sun increases damage to your elastin and collagen fibers, which are responsible for skin's structure and strength. The greatest sun damage occurs between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., in any season.
Your Sleep Position
Your sleep position affects aging changes in your skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Sleeping with your face scrunched into your pillow puts pressure on skin and creates crease lines. As you age naturally, these lines become more pronounced. Change sleep positions every few days to minimize crease lines and wrinkle formation.
