13 Bad Habits That Can Make You Look Older Than You Really Are

No one can’t stop the march of time, and neither can your body. But there are people in their 60s who look 40, while others in their 30s look like they’re in their 50s. So, what exactly is going on? Even if you’re born with good genes, the way you live your life and the things you do daily significantly impact how quickly you age. If you want to look young and wrinkle-free for the rest of your life, get rid of some of these bad habits that make you look older immediately.

1 Frowning

Small behaviors like frowning too often that you may not even be aware of can have a big impact on your health and well-being. Over time, frowning can make you appear older than you really are. While smiling makes you younger and enhances immunity, frowning will cause wrinkles on your forehead, eyes, and cheeks. Instead of frowning, try smiling more, and you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll look better, too.

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2 Not getting enough sleep

Nobody benefits from getting by on four or five hours of sleep a night. Regularly skipping or delaying bedtime reduces your body’s ability to recover and rejuvenate itself. Instead, the aging process is accelerated by not getting sufficient sleep. Health experts and doctors say that sleeping within the seven-hour range is best.

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3 Not eating a nutritious diet

Junk food and alcohol deprive your body of essential nutrients, but their effects don’t end there. They can cause long-term health problems. Dr. Schlessinger says that your skin can be affected by a diet heavy in sugar from the inside out. A process known as glycation occurs when sugar molecules bind to collagen and elastin in the skin. AGEs, or advanced glycosylation end products, are the result of this process. Collagen and elastin in the skin are damaged by AGEs, which are free radicals that contribute to inflammation.

Eating fruits and vegetables does help you retain your youthful looks longer. You can’t avoid free radical damage and ageing if you don’t have enough antioxidants and phytonutrients present in fruits and vegetables. A diet of vegetables and fruits can increase pigmentation, making the skin appear younger and adding a rosy glow to it.

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4 Not using sunscreen

It’s a pain to put on sunscreen every time you go outside, but UV exposure causes wrinkles and sunspots in addition to skin cancer. DermWarehouse’s founder and board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Alan J. Parks, explained, “I know it seems obvious, but the one terrible habit that will age you beyond belief is not wearing sunscreen. 90% of skin aging is from the sun, so wearing sunscreen daily is one of the best habits you can get into to keep you looking young.” He also points out that the damage isn’t caused solely by the summer sun because UVA radiation can still pass-through clouds and glass, resulting in accelerated aging and skin cancer. So, you should apply sunscreen even in winters and on cloudy or rainy days.

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