How to Combat the Physical Effects of Ageing

For some people, the thought of getting older is scary. But for most people, the thought of looking older with the unwelcomed effects of ageing is even more daunting. As much and as hard as we try though, it's pretty much impossible to stop the signs of ageing from showing. However, there are definitely a good number of ways that can help you feel better, younger, and slow down the physical effects of the ageing process.

So if you want to stay younger looking for longer, then maybe look into the following tips.

Photo source: www.youglo.co.uk

Stop smoking

If you are a frequent smoker, then this will, if not had already, have a big impact on your appearance. Much research had gone into the effects of smoking on people’s physical features. And in one set of research, they looked at identical twins where one had smoked and one hadn’t. The results were pretty shocking, as the smoking twin looked many years older than the non-smoker.

Smoking dries out the skin. And of course, there are a whole lot of other health problems such as heart diseases and cancer that are linked to smoking. If you want to stay young and healthy, giving up smoking should be top of your list.

Change your diet

Your diet has a big influence on your appearance as well. Having a well-balanced diet with enough fruits, vegetables, proteins, omega-3, anti-oxidants and other helpful vitamins and minerals will help you appear more youthful. Diets high in sugar, processed foods and bad cholesterol, and even drastic-weight-loss diets, can have a significant impact on your skin and your body overall.

Stick to a healthy diet with plenty of greens, whole grains, fruits, high quality protein, and natural foods. And don't forget to drink lots of water, as water does wonders for the condition of your skin.

Look after your hair

Your hair is also a telltale sign of your body getting older. Going grey and losing hair are both highly common issues. Hair loss can be caused by many different reasons; it can be heredity, caused by stress, effects of a dietary deficiency, or from conditions such as alopecia. Hair loss can be a horrible situation for people to go through, and it can have many psychological and emotional effects such as lack of confidence, anxiety, and depression among others. People who wash and dry their hair with hairdryers too often can also start to lose their hair.

But if you do start to lose hair then there are some solutions to help you. You can look into having a hair transplant (although this is fairly expensive) or you can start using products like shampoo for thinning hair. Scientists have been working on solutions for hair loss for years, so there are a number of products and options available that have already seen good results.

Going grey can also be easily covered up with frequent application of hair dye, and there are more products available for both men and women that result in younger, shinier and healthier looking hair.

Exercise regularly

If you've lived a more sedentary lifestyle, then it's high time to start implementing a lifestyle change. Exercising is not only for people who want to become slim, keep fit, or get toned. It will also keep you young by lubricating your joints, helping you detoxify, and building an overall better cardiovascular health.

Elder people who lived and are still living an active lifestyle also have better posture and seem to physically age gracefully than those who aren't fans of exercising.

Sleep better

Probably one of the most overlooked health habits is getting enough sleep. Our bodies go in repair mode when we get deep, restful sleep. And when we don't, lack of sleep can cause cortisol levels, which is the main stress hormone, to elevate. This doesn't only leave us feeling tired and grumpy the next day, but also ages the skin more rapidly. Prolonged sleep deprivation may cause premature skin ageing like wrinkles, and even make us more vulnerable to many diseases.

So if you aren't getting enough sleep, then get on to it. Seven to eight hours of high quality sleep is recommended, so the body especially the skin can rejuvenate, replenish and repair.

The signs of ageing can be daunting, but there are so many things you can do to make yourself feel and look younger -- from using products, integrating healthy habits, to changing up your lifestyle for the better.