7 Bad Habits that Age You Beyond Your Years

Bad Habits that Age You: We all have our collections of bad habits we are trying to break or limit, but some of them are more important to crack down on than others. That’s because some of them are doing just about the worst thing we could be doing to ourselves: limiting our lifespans through bad habits that age you prematurely.

It is no news that things like not exercising, or eating too much junk food don’t contribute to your health, and increase the threat of diseases. But on top of that, they make your ‘RealAge’, that is the actual age of your body, older. Usually women are more concerned about aging, skin care and health. However, modern societies have become more aware of bad habits which affect health, increasing the focus on well-being. Therefore men have also started to put more attention to these facts that might affect elderly well-being.

Moreover, bad habits not only decrease your overall life quality, but also compromise your daily performance. Regarding personal productivity, a highly valued element of fast-paced modern societies, some bad habits can turn off your working capacity and decrease your efficiency. The work market moves fast, and job positions do not tolerate low-productivity employees for long these days. We have made a list featuring 7 Habits That Kill Your Productivity to shed more light on those specific bad habits. Be sure to check them out (and check them off your list if possible). Some working habits such as multi-tasking, constant procrastination, or having too much to take on are some of the things that by the end of the day, decrease your productivity and lower your efficiency.

Taking into account some of the factors which according to the RealAge test age you faster, we have compiled a list featuring seven bad habits that age you and make your body older. Starting from the most evident habits up to some of the most heinous bad habit practices, if you want to age like a Rolling Stone, check out this list and start avoiding these bad habits that age you.

No. 7 Lack of exercise

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It is no news that all doctors recommend exercise as the groundwork of a well-balanced life. The thing with exercise is that it needs to be sustained in order to contribute to your overall health. Moving and making at least a 20 minute daily walk is key to preventing fast-aging. Of course, excessive running can also cause sagging, yet moderate exercise is required so as to keep strong, watch your weight and take advantage of the rejuvenating effects of exercise.

No. 6 Balanced Diet

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This one is also a classic regarding body health: having burgers, pizza and ice cream as the basis of your regular diet isn’t helping much with your aging. Moreover, not only does junk food make you fat and increase heart diseases, but also inflammatory food, such as white breads, vegetable oils, red meats, or processed foods, can cause inflammation in your body, accelerating wrinkle formation and increasing cholesterol levels or blood pressure. Having a balanced diet is important, as fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins such as zinc, selenium, vitamin C, and beta carotene, and getting enough protein prevents skin aging.

No. 5 Smoking

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Indeed, no one needs to be told that smoking cigarettes is a bad habit that affects your overall life quality. Smoking increases risks of getting heart disease, as well as lung, blood, bladder, esophageal, kidney, mouth, throat, stomach and uterine cancer. Moreover, skin cells are deprived of oxygen, accelerating skin aging and wrinkling. Yet specialists say that once you quit smoking, heart rate and blood pressure drop almost immediately.

No. 4 Stress

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Stress is one of the things that makes your body age faster. Being constantly worried, anxious and stressed liberates free radicals that can seriously affect your health. Stress can lead to memory loss, high blood pressure, weight gain, skin aging and weakening of the immune system, along with family problems, work concerns and financial troubles. Additionally, stress can age your brain, and alter your sleeping habits, which accelerates aging and indeed makes you look older, as well.

No. 3 A good sleep

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Getting the sufficient amount of sleep these days isn’t easy. Not only are work shifts longer, but also social life, gatherings, compromises and other activities leave little time for getting the recommended minimum of seven hours of sleep per night. Your body reacts to these poor sleep habits by decreasing focus, hindering  memory, debilitating your immune system and occasionally making you gain weight. Yet, too much sleep can also make you age faster, introducing a lazy routine and wrinkling your face with famous “sleep lines”. As Aristotle said, the right middle between the two extremes is always the best option.

No. 2 Alcohol consumption

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Happy Hour is of course an important moment of every worker’s daily routine. Yet, overdoing happy hours might compromise your health and increase your aging. The habit of drinking can dehydrate your body, decreasing the natural moisture of your skin and triggering other health issues such as liver disease, high blood pressure and weight gain. Indeed, doctors have recommended a glass of wine every day to decrease the risks of heart disease. Yet, as everything we do, turning daily drinking into a habit might compromise your liver, preventing it from properly working and flushing out toxins and impurities from your body.

No. 1 Social Life

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Having a lively social life is more important to your health that you might think. Having lots of friends in real life improves the ability to cope with adversity; it helps strengthen the immune system and aids dealing with stress. Moreover, having a large circle of friends makes people feel more alive and young, while it links people together, engaging them in diverse activities and doings.