The idea of ageing is enough to get some of us recoiling like the heroine in a horror film. Ageing prematurely should have us shrieking, but the chances are that those signs of ageing you see aren’t just a natural result of life. Rather, modern society makes it easy to pick up some unhealthy habits that speed the whole thing up. Here, we’re going to look at those habits and what you can do about it.

Bad eating

We are what we eat and if we eat nothing but junk, then we should expect our life experiences to start reflecting that. Antioxidants are just one of the ingredients we should start getting used to. These tackle free radicals that, when given the chance, will damage our cells including surface layer skin cells, causing faster wrinkling. A bad diet can bring all kinds of early ageing problems, however, from increased risk of lost mental acuity to the heart disease that could send us all into a health crisis well before our time. Re-evaluate what you eat, and drink to slow the ageing process.

Too much sitting

The other pillar of a healthy lifestyle is of course exercise. Not only will it help us maintain a stronger heart, more strength, and more range of movement as we age. Telomeres protect us against the kind of cell death that free radicals can cause. It’s been shown that people who exercise more have longer telomeres that can do a much better job of that process. So whatever exercise you think you can manage – get on with it!

Smoking

Aside from erm…death, everyone should know that smoking causes wrinkles, yellows teeth and fingernails, and generally makes it harder to stay fit by decreasing our lung capacity and the like. Nowadays, there are loads of replacements, including vaping options like Aspire eCig UK that make it easier to quit. There are no more excuses for staying a smoker. The risks are already serious enough without adding premature ageing on top of them. Increased risk of heart disease and cancer are two of the most prevalent, but we all know that don’t we!

Stressing

It’s an old adage that stress ages you while you’re young and there’s no doubt about that. It can be a huge cause of skin and hair problems, but it’s also another big risk factor in causing serious problems like early heart attacks and strokes. Whether it’s aromatherapy, exercise, meditation or otherwise, it’s important we find self-treatment that works. Otherwise, stress could very much live up to its stereotype as a silent killer, not just the antithesis of an anti-ageing cream.

Not enough sleep

We all need more sleep, there’s no doubt about that. It’s directly tied to the last point, but lacking in sleep leads to an increase of the stress hormone cortisol, which is one of the hormones that weakens our immune system and increases our blood pressure. Lacking sleep also makes use generally less mentally alert, more physically sluggish and increases our risk of eating more, leading us full circle back to our first point. It’s tough as a parent to address this one but just try and deal with it as best you can…we’ll get to sleep at some point right?

Ageing prematurely isn’t just about how we look. It’s about how we feel and how well we’re able to enjoy our life for longer. We deteriorate quicker both mentally and physically with the habits mentioned above, so make sure you keep them all in check.