Habits that age you

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Have you ever met two people of the exact same age who looked like they were twenty years apart? You didn’t want to be rude, so you refrained from asking the forty-year-old who looked sixty, “What happened?” But there isn’t just one thing that happened. The person didn’t rapidly age overnight. It’s never one incident or action that changes us—it’s habits and patterns. Look, a few times a year, like on my birthday, New Year’s Eve, and Halloween, I drink a few too many cocktails. But those few nights of indulging don’t change the way I look forever (they definitely change the way I look the next day). It’s repetitive behavior that has the greatest impact, and if you are repeating some of these bad habits daily or even weekly, you may become that friend who looks older than everyone at the high school reunion. Here are habits that age you.

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Rubbing your eyes

The skin around your eyes is extremely thin and fragile. Unfortunately, it is also some of the skin that feels the best to rub violently in the shower or after washing your face. But doing this every—or several times a—day can cause wrinkles around your eyes.

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Skipping resistance training

Don’t only focus on cardio to keep your weight down. Resistance training will be important in preventing height loss and osteoporosis as you get older, as well as maintaining muscle definition.

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Smoking

Smoking ages you terribly. The nicotine in cigarettes causes your blood vessels to constrict and this interferes with proper blood flow to your skin, which can lead to saggy, wrinkly skin. It also yellows your teeth and your eyes.

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Not sleeping enough

Maybe you can get by on energy drinks and a good attitude, but your body will seek payback later. If you’re regularly sleep deprived, you’ll have temporary bags under your eyes that become permanent ones, fast.

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Holding grudges

Holding grudges isn’t good for your beauty. It drives up stress hormones that are bad for your nervous and immune system. Stress is one of the top aging agents, so whatever you’re mad about, let it go.

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Frowning

Maybe you don’t hold grudges but you’re judgmental or a sour puss. It’s time to cheer up because frown lines age you! When you frown, you push the skin around your mouth down, which, over time, means a saggy face.

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Indulging in sweets

Your body has a very hard time processing sugar. Sugar attaches to certain proteins in your blood that form harmful molecules, which essentially suck the glow out of your skin.

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Wearing bad sunglasses

Stop buying those five-dollar sunglasses that don’t offer UV protection or polarization. It’s worth it to spend thirty dollars on a quality pair that actually protects your eyes from the sun.

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Weight fluctuations

It’s important to maintain a healthy weight for a lot of reasons, but one of those is to stay looking young. If you put your body through too many weight fluctuations, it can lead to saggy skin and stretch marks.

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Skipping omegas

Start taking omega three supplements at a young age, and make sure to eat plenty of fish, flax seeds, and other foods containing the stuff. Omegas reduce inflammation and promote better skin, and being low on them can cause skin that looks dull.

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Letting yourself get thirsty

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. If you’re thirsty, then you’re dehydrated, and if you make a habit of letting yourself become dehydrated, that means that your skin is dry, too.

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Listening to loud music

In addition to your angry neighbors, there’s another reason to turn down the volume on your speakers: it’s bad for your ears. If you have to ask, “What?” every time someone speaks to you, you’re bound to seem a bit older.

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Wearing bad makeup

The chemicals in non-organic or non-natural makeup can mean a lot of wear and tear for your skin. Stick to natural or organic makeup. Or, just don’t wear much at all.

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Not making time for friends

Having a good circle of friends is important for your health in so many ways. It helps fight stress, depression, grudge-holding, frowning, and many of the other aging habits mentioned earlier.