This, therefore, strengthens and straightens your posture. According to a report by the Mayo Clinic, smoking significantly speeds up the aging process. It is, therefore, advisable to avoid smoking cigarettes.
According to a study from Yale University , people who viewed aging positively lived 7. To reiterate this, according to the Journal of American Medical Association, seniors who viewed aging positively wisdom and overall satisfaction are 40 percent more likely to recover from a disability than those who see it as synonymous to helplessness.
The more you embrace getting older and appreciate its positive aspects the happier you are and the younger you look. In a study that was conducted in , women who cut or colored their hair thought they appeared younger and had lower blood pressure. When it comes to hair color, some people prefer coloring while others embrace their gray.
Your gray hair can look sophisticated with just the right cut and just the right hairdresser to execute it. Dark hair causes your features to look severe while a lighter blonder color softens your appearance. Hormonal changes that occur during menopause can cause your hair to become thin and brittle; however, coloring it can bulk it up.
This is because the hydrogen peroxide in the bleaching agents causes the hair shaft to swell making it appear thicker. Over time our teeth discolor due to wine stains, coffee, tea or smoking.
A visit to your dentist will have your teeth whiter and looking great in no time. Other than aesthetic reasons, other age-related issues such as natural recession of the gums which causes teeth to look longer may occur. For this reason, it is advisable to go for a dental check-up twice a year. It is also advisable to brush regularly and floss. Drinking milk and taking calcium supplements is also a good way to maintain your teeth. In the high paced world that we live in, the value of sleep is overlooked.
The need to sleep is numbed down by another cup of coffee. Sleeping poorly will not only show visible signs of aging on your face, but it will also make you perceive yourself as being less attractive.
This is according to a study conducted in in the Clinical and Experimental Dermatology journal. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the time you spend sleeping should be 9 hours every night. When compared to those who had less than 5 hours of sleep.
This indicates that the more hours of sleep you get the more time your skin has to recover from the negative effects of the sun hence delaying the aging of process. What are your stereotypical beliefs about age?
According to Vincent Giampapa , M. We incorporate these beliefs into our subconscious and they become part of the factors that control how our genes work. If you think folic acid is just for pregnant women, think again. Recently, David Mischoulon , M. To ensure you get enough folate in your diet, load up on foods like leafy green veggies, citrus fruits, dried peas, and beans. According to the National Institute of Health , some subtle signs of folate deficiency include digestive disorders, headaches, irritability, and forgetfulness.
Swedish researchers collected information from , golfers and found that their life expectancy is five years longer than the rest of the population, according to a study. Find other ways to stay active in the fresh air and sunshine with a companion, like group biking or light walking. Make a point to reflect on the positives of aging, instead of focusing on the negative. You stop comparing yourself to others, and that's a great psychic relief," Bennett says.
It's time to reflect on what's gone before, to get to know yourself and your world better. And, there's time to follow up on all those things you put off during midlife because you were too busy with your career and children.
Type keyword s to search. Put a stop to all that stress! We all face plenty of stressors and overwhelm in our lives. Unfortunately, stress and strain cause us to age. A furrowed brow may become a wrinkle. Smoking, drinking and other unhealthy ways to cope with stress also take a heavy toll. Stress has many negative effects on our health too—higher blood pressure, poor sleep, weight gain and loss.
Fortunately, you can fight stress by adopting healthy habits. Drink water, exercise, maintain good dental hygiene and preventative medicine to combat stress. Keep your emotional habits healthy too by practicing gratitude, self-care, keeping your perspective and learning to let go.
Burning the candle at both ends leaves us feeling frazzled and exhausted. Ever woken up from a restless night only to discover your skin looks dull, lifeless and old? Good sleep hygiene is vital! Most of us need hours per night to look and feel our best.
During sleep our skin cells build and repair themselves. Our cortisol stress hormone levels adjust and we feel renewed and rejuvenated. Practice good sleep habits by getting to bed at a consistent hour and aiming for uninterrupted sleep. Keep the room a little cooler and dark.
Avoid electronics before bedtime which emit blue light disrupting sleep patterns. Use a white noise machine if you tend to wake up easily. It also means our weight will remain stable fluctuations also cause us to appear older and take a toll on skin.
Getting proper nutrition also helps us prevent heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses. Lowering blood pressure prevents strokes. Nutrition also helps keep us mentally sharp and gives us more energy to enjoy activities.
One of the true secrets for staying sharp and young is to never stop learning. Life is full of chances to learn new skills, foster new talents and grow our abilities. Sign up for a community class. Look online at edX for a list of free courses offered through many top universities including Harvard, Berkeley and MIT.
There are also tons of tutorials available on YouTube, blogging classes including our own Elite Blog Academy and learning opportunities through your local library. Hydration is vital. Drinking water regularly helps keep everything flowing and working in our system.
Water flushes out toxins. Water aids in digestion. Studies show friendships give us higher self-esteem, greater empathy for others and make us more trusting and cooperative. And perhaps most important: As we age, our friends and family give us a sense of purpose and a reason to keep getting up in the morning.
To retire or not to retire? Studies show that people who keep working well into their 70s and beyond tend to have better health and stay more socially connected. Even so, most research supports the idea that staying busy, maintaining social connections and finding meaning and purpose in your daily routine are all part of healthy aging. Studies also suggest that the type of work matters. If you find work fulfilling and enjoy the company of your colleagues, you should consider sticking with it.
If your job is backbreaking or high stress, consider checking out around retirement age — but make a plan for your second act. Volunteer or find paid work somewhere that will keep you active, engaged and give you a reason to get up in the morning. Retiring after years of work can feel like a heady vacation at first.
But eventually, not working can take a toll on mental health. One study found that the negative effects of retirement — defined as a range of depressive tendencies such as lack of appetite, lapsed concentration, fatigue and so on to clinical depression — start to appear after the first few years of ceasing to work. The main benefit of work may be the social network it offers. A Syracuse University study found that people who continued to work past retirement age enjoyed an increase in the size of their networks of family and friends of 25 percent.
The social networks of retired people, on the other hand, shrank during the five-year period. One study of school volunteers over age 50 found that volunteering was linked with better physical health and cognitive gains from interacting with children. Get the best of Well, with the latest on health, fitness and nutrition, delivered to your inbox every week.
See sample Privacy Policy Opt out or contact us anytime. Nothing can guarantee you a longer life, but there are a few simple practices that will improve your odds of aging well. Most sun damage occurs in our youth, but it makes sense to cover up and avoid excessive sun exposure at any age.
Other research shows that for light-skinned people, slathering on sunscreen really does prevent or at least delay wrinkles. Studies show that 20 percent to 30 percent of medication prescriptions are never filled, and that approximately 50 percent of medications prescribed for chronic diseases are not taken as prescribed. Many people who fill their prescriptions only take half the prescribed dose.
This lack of adherence is linked to an estimated , deaths and at least 10 percent of hospitalizations. Some research has tried to figure ou t who is most likely to take their meds and who is not. People who have been in a job or home for only a short period of time are at higher risk of not taking their medications correctly. Social support is also a factor.
People who live alone or are unmarried are more likely to skip medications or not fill prescriptions. Often they can give you samples, coupons or have a hospital social worker contact the drug company to see if you qualify for an assistance program. Fill your prescription, take your meds and put yourself on a path toward better aging. Arthritic hands may struggle with small buttons or gripping the wheel. The American Automobile Association has created a very useful interactive guide to help older drivers identify the makes and models of vehicles within various price ranges that may best suit their particular issues.
At SeniorDriving. For those with various vision problems common among older people, for example, features like a high-contrast instrument panel with large number and letter displays, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and glare-reducing side mirrors can enhance driver safety. Falls are the leading cause of injury among Americans over age Each year, nearly one-third of older adults experience a fall , and 20 to 30 percent of them wind up with injuries ranging from broken teeth to broken hips.
Falls and their accompanying serious and less serious injuries can precipitate a cascade of medical problems, the onset of severe disability, and the end of independent living and the beginning of round-the-clock care. First, you should improve your fitness and balance to minimize your chance of falling. Then you should plan for the right way to fall. Balance training has been shown to reduce fall risk by 50 percent. Talk to your doctor about your risk and work with a trainer, therapist or take an adult fitness class to improve balance.
Exercises like tai chi have been shown to improve balance. Other balance exercises include walking backward and sideways. Walk on just your heels and then your toes.
Practice standing from a sitting position without using your arms to push yourself up. If you do fall, you can plan for the right way to do it.
Check your house for potential hazards an occupational therapist can help you with this. And pet lovers need to be mindful that their furry friends are a major risk factor for falls.
Dogs and cats cause more than 86, falls requiring emergency room care each year. Be aware of the four-legged hazard in your midst as you age. Tara Parker-Pope is the founding editor of Well, an award-winning consumer health site with news and features to help readers live well every day.
Twitter: nytimeswell. Eat Small changes in your eating habits can lower your risk for many of the diseases associated with aging. Avoid Processed Meat Processed meats like hot dogs and sausages have been salted, cured or smoked to enhance flavor and improve preservation.
Skip Packaged Foods The best eating strategy for aging well is to skip processed foods and beverages. What About Supplements? A Month Without Sugar December 30,
0コメント