Getting older is an unavoidable part of life.
There are, however, ways to prevent yourself from racking up years ahead of time.
These are some bad habits you should be avoiding if you want to look your youngest.
Too much television
Well, it turns out our moms were right.
Television really is bad for our brains.
A study in JAMA Psychiatry examined TV's effects on our brains.
Participants in the study with the lowest percent of time working out and the highest
TV watching actually had changes to their brains, and they weren't good.
These participants scored lower on brain power tests, meaning they weren't able to perform
as well cognitively.
Watching too much TV ages our brains to the point where we can't perform like we used
to.
The takeaway?
Turn it off and go for a walk.
Your brain, and your body, will thank you.
Skipping sleep
Even if you're one of those people who feels fine on four or five hours of sleep, it's
not serving you.
Going to bed late every night does not give our bodies a chance to repair and replenish
from the previous day's stress.
This only adds to the aging process.
Skipping sleep even leads to a shorter lifespan.
Dr. Raymond Casciari told Health:
"Sleeping within the seven-hour range is optimal."
Can't get more straightforward than that!
Try going to bed just 15 or 30 minutes earlier tonight and see how you feel.
We're betting you'll wake up a new you!
"Now, go the f--- to sleep."
Not getting busy
When your romantic luck dries up, you might find yourself starting to look older.
That's because making love affects all areas of our lives.
Giving up sex is associated with more stress, a weakened immune system, and depression.
All of these factors leave us looking and feeling older.
Not sure where to start with this one?
Make a commitment to taking your sex life back.
Pat Covalt, author of What Smart Couples Know, told Prevention:
"Some women are not active participants in their sex lives.
A lot of men would like to be touched more, seduced more.
Everyone wants to feel wanted."
Sitting all day
If you spend the majority of your day sitting, you are not alone.
Most of us sit on the way to work, sit at work, then sit in front of the TV in the evenings.
All this sitting is making us older.
A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that sitting too much actually ages
our body's cells.
Researchers examined the chromosomes of over 1,500 older women and looked at their cells'
telomeres, the tips of the DNA in our cells.
These telomeres shorten as we age, but researchers found that sitting too much and not getting
active caused the shortening to happen faster, by as much as eight years!
Study author Aladdin Shadyab told TIME:
"Our results suggest that the combination of being sedentary and not engaging in enough
physical activity to prevent the telomeres from shortening leads to the shorter telomere
length."
Yikes!
To offset this effect, commit to an exercise routine and take plenty of walking and standing
breaks throughout the day.
Not managing your stress
Perhaps no habit on this list is as dangerous to our health and aging as stress.
Feeling stressed out not only robs your day of happiness, but makes you older in the process.
Psychiatrist Jared Heathman explained:
"Studies have shown that excessive worrying can lead to premature aging.
Frequent or habitual worrying increases cortisol and promotes oxidative damage.
This results in shorter telomere lengths that may reduce lifespan by two to eight years."
Those freakin' telomeres again!
"Ahhh, DAMN YOU!
GOD."
The stress hormone cortisol is mostly to blame for this expedited aging process, but it's
not just the stress on our cells that causes aging.
It's also the fact that when we're overwhelmed, we tend to neglect our basic needs.
Midwife Elizabeth Manning explained:
"When we are stressed, we are less likely to take care of ourselves, drink plenty of
water, eat the right foods, and practice regular self care.
Instead we are not taking breaks, pushing ourselves to the max, squinting at a computer
screen, and staying up too late."
Yup, that sounds about accurate.
The solution?
Start brainstorming activities to help you ditch the stress.
Try a new workout class or go for a hike with a close friend.
It's up to you
While learning about all of these bad habits and their negative effects can feel overwhelming,
this ominous cloud's got a silver lining.
The good news is that all of these habits and choices are up to us.
Lifestyle factors have a huge effect on how our bodies age, so let's start taking control
today.
Some lifestyle factors that are associated with healthy aging are higher education, not
smoking, eating a healthy diet, staying active, and limiting alcohol.
Choose one area to focus on and start making changes today.
Sign up for a continuing education class that sounds interesting to you.
Swap your normal fast food breakfast for a hearty bowl of oatmeal or smoothie on the
run.
Try a new dance fitness class with some friends.
Small changes add up over time, so start today!