Not only biological age plays a role in the aging of a person, but also daily habits that determine the state of a person’s health.
THE lifestyle and daily habits can make a difference in how old you actually are and how old you feel or look.
Although life expectancy is increasing worldwide with advances in medicine and medicine, the number of years a person is healthy is decreasing. In other words, we live longer, but with many problems.
“Chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, often caused by lifestyle, are very common and are associated with faster aging,” the scientists report.
Changing some habits that we do every day that are harmful to our health can prevent chronic diseases and premature aging.
What habits make us age before our time?
Excessive alcohol consumption
A study by the University of Oxford has shown that alcohol accelerates biological aging by damaging DNA. Experts looked at data from nearly 250,000 people and found that those who drank more alcohol had an increased risk of developing diseases later in life.
Sedentary life
As we age, especially if we work in an office job and reduce the hours we exercise, we lead an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. According to scientists, after the age of 35, we lose about 1% of our muscle mass every year, putting us at risk of osteoporosis, frailty and falls with injuries.
Lack of sleep
Another important factor that contributes to premature aging is lack of sleep. When we don’t get enough sleep, we tend to overload our body with unhealthy habits like drinking alcohol or eating fast food.
Poor diet
Speaking of fast food, it has been conclusively proven that diet plays a very important role in our overall health. Fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fruits have been linked to longer lifespans. On the other hand, foods like red meat and sugar can age us prematurely.
Smoking
Smoking is believed to affect the production of collagen, a protein that keeps the skin healthy and supple. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which is why skin begins to sag and wrinkle. Smoking can accelerate this process and cause premature aging.
A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta found four factors that help prevent nearly 80% of chronic diseases often associated with aging. One apparent factor was smoking.
Anxiety and stress
Long-term stress has many harmful effects on our health, and one of them, according to experts, is making us look and feel older than we are in our personality displays.
Sun exposure
Another habit that contributes to premature aging is sunbathing or simply being exposed to the sun for long periods of time. Various studies show that the sun’s rays age the skin. A 2013 study found that UV rays are responsible for 80% of the visible signs of facial aging.
See also: Are you under severe stress? Maybe you should start eating more salads
Vitamin deficiency
According to experts, vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps reduce the effects of aging, as low levels of this vitamin are associated with shorter lifespans.
However, omega-3 fatty acids can also help maintain our health and age. These fatty acids help control blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, which are beneficial for heart health.