5 Surprising Activities That Prematurely Age You

If you want to stay as young as possible mentally and physically – and who doesn’t? – you need to plan ahead. Ensuring you don’t grow old before your time means avoiding obvious pitfalls—high blood pressure, smoking, obesity—but it also means thinking about seemingly harmless behaviors that could age you. If you’re interested in staying as young as possible for as long as possible, consider avoiding these habits:

• Putting Off Time with Friends. Being with friends can keep you feeling young – and even extend your life. Studies show that people with strong social ties generally live longer, and close friendships are a particularly significant factor in the lifespan of people who live to be 100 or more. Friendship can also help prevent depression, obesity and heart disease. Nourish your friendships the way you nourish your body, and you’ll lead a longer, fuller life.
• Yo-Yo Dieting. Trying to shed extra pounds in a short amount of time usually means one thing: those pounds will come right back. Getting stuck on a cycle of weight gain and weight loss can make you look and feel older, sapping your energy, frustrating you, and creating wrinkles in areas where your skin isn’t elastic enough to adjust to the ups and downs. Slow and steady is the key to long-term victory in the diet race.
• Wearing High Heels. They may look gorgeous, but rocking those pumps can have serious side effects that last long after you’ve taken them off. From ingrown toenails and bunions to arthritis of the knee and lower back pain, high heels create chronic foot and posture issues caused by the strain on your toes and spine.. If you wear them for a long time, high heels can lead to painful muscle spasms in the calves and Achilles tendons. Go easy on the stilettos--the lower the heel, the more evenly your weight is spread over the foot. Stay away from heels if you know you’re going to be standing for long periods, and stretch your feet often during the day.
• Browsing in the Bedroom. The screens of smartphones, tablets, and similar devices shine with a bluish light that interferes with your body’s levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. When you surf the internet in bed, your brain can be fooled into thinking it’s daytime instead of sleep time, disrupting your ability to get to slumber land. If you don’t get the sleep you need, you aren’t going to perform at your peak and you’re likely to feel irritable. For a better night’s rest that keeps your mind young, leave the electronics in the living room, or install a blue light filter app if you must text or browse.
• Blowing Up Behind the Wheel. One of the unavoidable parts of driving is dealing with the mistakes and discourtesies of other drivers. But when they won’t let you pass, it’s better to let it pass. Research has linked a willingness to forgive with better physical health and longevity, and the benefits of coping with a stressful situation in a positive way include less anxiety and lower blood pressure. Resolve to keep an even keel the next time that other car cuts you off.

Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-r-hamilton-phd/longevity-_b_1978890.html

http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-your-health/health-conditions-library/womens-health/Pages/high-heels.aspx

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/how-smartphones-are-ruining-our-sleep/385792

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21706213

http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/10-everyday-things-age-you/

http://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health-pictures/bad-habits-that-make-you-age-faster.aspx

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.