Aging gracefully is virtually everyone’s goal. Very few people would ever want their skin and body to show signs of premature aging. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to prevent this from happening. Here are some habits that make people age faster, so you can better avoid them!

“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” – George Burns

Here Are 13 Habits That Make People Age Faster

  1. Neglecting your eyes

The skin that surrounds the eyes is essentially the thinnest skin on all of the body. Additionally, there aren’t too many oil glands on it, meaning it is going to be the first to be affected by aging. Basically, if your skin is aging badly, your eyes will show it first. Use a form of eye cream that can help prevent the development of fine lines and boost the production of collagen. Some will even help bring down puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles.

  1. Alcohol

Alcohol acts as a diuretic. Essentially, the more of it you consume, the more dehydrated your body will get. This means alcohol basically sucks up all the moisture on your skin that keeps it healthy and flowing. Alcohol can also be the cause of rosacea outbreaks, and it is also known for making marks on the skin – such as wrinkles, lines, and acne – more obvious and severe. As with everything, consume alcohol in moderation!

  1. Neglecting sun protection

Going sunbathing or even for a tan is actually horrible for your skin and can age you very, very quickly. Not only does this increase your risk of contracting cancer, but exposure to those UV rays leads to weakened blood vessels and skin cells. This causes wrinkles and leathery skin. If you are going to be spending time in the sun, use proper sunscreen!

  1. Drinking with a straw

When you use a straw to sip on a beverage that is dark in color, you might think you’re doing your teeth a lot of favors, as this can prevent stains. But regularly using a straw causes wrinkles to slowly start to form around your lips because of the way you purse your lips to use them.

  1. Bad posture

Whether you sit in a hunch or walk bent over, maintaining poor posture can lead to a lot of bodily damage due to the additional wear and tear on the muscles and joints. This, in turn, will cause the body to age faster, so work on keeping a healthy and natural posture!

  1. Being dehydrated

We always hear that we need to drink enough water, and this is more important than you might think. Chronic dehydration can decrease the skin’s natural elasticity, which will, therefore, cause further aging. And because of all the other reasons water is important: drink it!

  1. Smoking

what smoking does to your lungs

Not only is smoking bad for overall health – specifically the health of your lungs, kidney, and heart – but it also causes premature aging. This is because the act of smoking results in the activation of certain enzymes that cause skin elasticity to break down, damaging collagen that gives your skin its strength. Eventually, this leads to wrinkles and a pale pallor.

  1. A bad diet

If you eat processed foods, lots of oils or red meats, and other similar junk foods, you’re building up inflammation within the body that can lead to the formation of wrinkles. So, what should you eat? Omega-3 fatty acids, fruits and vegetables, vitamin C, and protein all have positive effects on the body.

  1. Using too much heat

During the colder months, you might feel tempted to turn the thermostat up or stroke a fire in the hearth. Unfortunately, doing this can lead to moisture being sapped away from the air, eventually causing your skin to become more inflamed and drier, aging it. Can’t give up your heat? Invest in a humidifier to use with the warmth.

  1. Going out fad or crash diets

As tempting as it can be to starve yourself for a quick fix just before an event or vacation, this is a proven unhealthy habit and will bring your energy levels crashing. It also poses the potential threat of causing your skin to age, wrinkle, and sag as it struggles to keep up with the sudden loss of weight.

  1. Sleeping too much or too little

Getting less than five hours of sleep per night can give you more than just dark circles. It actually cuts your lifespan short and makes you gain weight, lose energy, and experience mental fog. Meanwhile, sleeping too much on a particular side of your face can cause sleep lines and wrinkles. The optimal amount of time to spend asleep is between seven and nine hours each night.

  1. Popping pimples

As satisfying as popping away acne can be, if you’re doing this too often, you’re moving the dirt and bad bacteria from your fingers into your face and possibly through the open wound. Not only is that gross, but popping pimples will also cause scarring that causes an aged skin texture.

  1. Sugary drinks

Sugary drinks may lead to the development of metabolic disease. This is because it causes the aging of the cells, and therefore ages your entire body before its time.