Ageing is a natural process that we all go through (and somewhat dread). But, it doesn’t have to be this way!
There are ways to slow down its visible signs and help us feel vibrant, youthful, and full of energy.
Thanks to scientific research, we now have valuable insights into how lifestyle choices can affect the ageing process.
By incorporating certain habits into our daily routine, we can make a significant impact on our overall well-being and maintain a more youthful appearance.
Healthy Fats
Eating a nutritious and balanced diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals is crucial for maintaining youthful skin and overall health.
Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and, most importantly, healthy fats, can help protect the skin against damage from free radicals and promote collagen production, keeping skin firm and elastic.
Healthy fats play a crucial role in slowing down ageing and improving collagen in the skin due to their impact on overall skin health and function.
Here’s a breakdown of how healthy fats benefit the skin:
Moisture and Hydration:
Healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts, help maintain the skin’s natural oil barrier.
This barrier is essential for trapping moisture in the skin, ensuring it stays hydrated and plump.
Well-hydrated skin is more resilient to environmental stressors and less prone to dryness and premature ageing.
Inflammation Reduction:
Chronic inflammation in the body can accelerate the ageing process and contribute to skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Healthy fats have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation in the body, including the skin.
By lowering inflammation, healthy fats support skin health and may help improve conditions that affect collagen production.
Collagen Production:
Collagen is a protein that provides structure and elasticity to the skin. As we age, collagen production naturally declines, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Healthy fats aid in collagen synthesis by providing essential building blocks for collagen production.
Omega-3 fatty acids, for example, can help boost collagen production and maintain skin firmness and elasticity.
Antioxidant Protection:
Healthy fats, like those found in avocados, olive oil, and nuts, are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that contribute to premature ageing.
By neutralizing free radicals, antioxidants found in healthy fats can help preserve collagen and prevent signs of ageing in the skin.
Staying Hydrated
Proper hydration is essential for healthy skin. Drinking an adequate amount of water each day helps keep the skin hydrated, plump, and radiant.
Dehydrated skin is more prone to wrinkles and fine lines, so make sure to drink plenty of water and to double up on that if you regularly consume beverages like alcohol and caffeine.
Another highly beneficial tip is to add a pinch of sea salt to your water for added electrolytes to ensure that your body absorbs it into your cells and doesn’t just pass straight through.
Get Moving
Engaging in daily exercise significantly improves the overall body shape by enhancing muscle tone.
Our muscles deteriorate as we age due to stagnancy and simply not being used. Our muscles assist our bones in holding us up, this is the very foundation of our body.
If our foundation crumbles, the rest of us will follow. Keeping on top of this will reduce any chronic pain and keep us feeling fresh, youthful and energetic.
Remember that exercise doesn’t always have to mean bodybuilding in the gym. Exercise can take the form of going for a regular walk in the morning or enjoying a yoga or pilates class.
As long as you are moving your body and adding some form of resistance training into your routine, you will slow down your own ageing process and feel great on a daily basis.
Engaging in regular physical activity not only helps maintain a healthy weight and cardiovascular system but also promotes circulation, which is highly beneficial for the skin. Exercise can boost collagen production, improve skin tone, and reduce the appearance of age-related skin conditions by simply keeping the body moving.
Stress Less!
Chronic stress can accelerate the ageing process by increasing inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.
Practicing stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, yoga, breathwork exercises, or spending time in nature can help lower stress levels and promote overall well-being.
You can always incorporate this into your daily exercise to make things easier. Perhaps you can take your daily walk in nature and ensure to take your shoes off and let your feet touch the grass or sand for a few minutes.
Meditation is highly recommended and has been scientifically proven over and over again to significantly decrease stress within the body. Meditation doesn’t have to be hard, either.
If you are not used to meditating, hop onto Youtube and look up a guided meditation that you resonate with. There are many different types with different types of music and voices guiding you through so that you have something to focus on.
There are walking meditations, lay down meditations and even meditations to listen to while doing tasks at home such as dishes or the daily cleaning.
Don’t Skip Sleep
Getting an adequate amount of quality sleep is essential for cell repair and regeneration. During sleep, the body releases hormones that help repair damage done to the skin during the day.
Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night to support healthy ageing.
Now it’s one thing to say that you are going to go to bed on time and another thing to actually sleep peacefully and uninterrupted throughout the night.
If you struggle with insomnia or you have a regularly disruptive sleep pattern, you may want to consider incorporating a couple of lifestyle changes into your routine to help this.
Here are some helpful additions to help you get a good night’s sleep:
Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps regulate your body’s internal clock. Consistency reinforces your sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Limit Blue Light Exposure
Exposure to blue light from screens can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Reduce screen time an hour before bed, or use blue light blocking glasses like Sleepy Shades to minimise the impact. These glasses filter out the blue light, helping your body prepare for sleep naturally.
A Glass of Tart Cherry Juice Before Bed
Tart cherries are one of the few natural sources of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Consuming tart cherry juice boosts melatonin levels in the body, helping to regulate your sleep patterns.
Tart cherries also contain Anti-inflammatory compounds such as anthocyanins and flavonoids. These compounds may reduce inflammation in the body, which can contribute to better sleep by alleviating discomfort and promoting relaxation.
High-Quality Sleep Supplement
A high-quality sleep supplement can support your efforts to improve sleep. Look for supplements that contain ingredients like Magnesium, Apigenin and Valerian root extract, which are known to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
Conclusion
By incorporating these proven tips into your daily routine, you can effectively slow down the ageing process, maintain youthful skin, and feel more energetic and vibrant.
Remember, ageing is a natural part of life, but with the right habits and lifestyle choices, you can age gracefully and enjoy a healthy and youthful appearance for years to come.