Premature Aging Causes: Five Hidden Factors In Everyday Life That Accelerate Aging
Premature Aging Causes: Wearing sunglasses not only protects your eyes and the skin around them from harmful UV rays, but it also prevents you from squinting.
People who habitually squint or blink excessively are more prone to developing wrinkles around their eyes.
Premature Aging Causes, Smoking, alcohol, and lack of sleep can make us look older, but there are lesser-known lifestyle factors that can also speed up the aging process.
Thomas Buford, a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine, says, “Even if you can’t reverse all the cellular and molecular changes that occur over a lifetime, you can slow biological aging with some lifestyle changes. It’s never too late to improve health in old age.”
Verywell Health points out five key factors that accelerate aging and the steps you can take to counteract them.
Five Hidden Factors Of Premature Aging Causes
Social Isolation
Premature Aging Causes, A recent report shows that nearly one-quarter of adults aged 65 and older lack social connections. Loneliness and isolation increase the risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke, and depression.
Sarah B. Leonardo, a specialist in geriatric medicine, says people are often surprised when they hear that social isolation can significantly increase the risk of premature death.
Premature Aging Causes, Having social relationships and a sense of purpose helps seniors stay healthy and live longer. Engaging in volunteer work, participating in group games, or joining a local club or library are great ways to stay active.
Wear Sunglasses
Premature Aging Causes, If you apply sunscreen when going out, you help prevent sun-related skin aging, but do you wear sunglasses?
The thin skin under the eyelids is very susceptible to sun damage and various types of skin cancer. Wearing sunglasses not only protects your eyes and the surrounding skin from harmful UV rays but also prevents you from squinting. People who habitually squint or blink a lot are more prone to wrinkles around their eyes.
A Sedentary Lifestyle
Premature Aging Causes, Sitting in front of the TV and binge-watching shows won’t keep you young. Studies have shown a significant relationship between long hours of TV watching and a reduced likelihood of healthy aging. On the other hand, replacing this habit with moderate or light physical activity increases the chance of healthy aging.
You certainly don’t have to become a marathon runner. Any amount of physical activity has its benefits, and it’s best to focus on exercises you enjoy. However, don’t underestimate strength training, as it helps rejuvenate the skin, improve mobility, and maintain muscle mass as you age.
Chronic Stress
Premature Aging Causes, Physical, mental, and emotional stresses stemming from financial pressure, work demands, discrimination, or caring for others can accelerate aging.
Chronic stress negatively impacts the body and causes inflammation, which accelerates biological aging. It also affects a part of DNA called telomeres, which are associated with aging processes and an increased risk of health problems.
Premature Aging Causes, Experts recommend managing stress by getting at least seven hours of sleep at night, limiting alcohol consumption, staying physically active, and connecting with people you trust.
Sugar And Processed Foods
Premature Aging Causes, What you eat affects both your appearance and how you feel. Some studies suggest a connection between diets high in ultra-processed foods and added sugars with faster biological aging.
While more research is needed, the current belief is that high sugar consumption affects methyl groups on our DNA, potentially speeding up the aging process.
Experts note that nutrition only plays a supportive role in preventing premature aging. Expecting diet alone to counteract the damage caused by other lifestyle factors like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or living with chronic stress is unrealistic. Therefore, it’s important to review your lifestyle as a whole and gradually introduce small, consistent changes until they become habits.
Also Read:
The Anti-Aging Benefits Of Coffee: How It Keeps Your Skin Youthful
Sudden Aging: The Ages When Our Bodies Change Dramatically
Aging Is Not Gradual: The Body Suddenly Ages In The Mid-40s And Early 60s
