Nothing can age you quite as fast as a constant sense of worry, anxiety and stress. Studies have shown that prolonged periods of stress can actually alter your DNA. Chronic stress caused by work, family unrest or other triggers, leads to increased blood pressure, sleep disruptions and acne breakouts.
Recently, researchers have found that a person's mental health is also a factor in their risk for accelerated aging. According to researchers, certain psychological issues — such as hopelessness, unhappiness, and loneliness — increase a person's biological age more than smoking.
And just like unhealthy lifestyle choices, unmanaged stress, consistent negative thoughts, and a toxic environment can cause more rapid biological aging, the converse is also true.
Eating too much or too little, living on processed foods, creating more stress than you can handle and not sleeping enough are all actions that will accelerate your aging process by turning on genes that accelerate aging and by making you more vulnerable to heart disease, obesity, osteoarthritis and dementia.
Research has found the hormones produced with chronic stress can age our brain and immune systems. Those who are constantly stressed have higher instances of dementia and memory loss, as well as more damaged cells within their immune systems.
Depression. Like anger, sadness weighs heavily on the face, and can cause wrinkles from repetitively frowning and furrowing brows.
When it comes to aging, some people are just luckier. Genetics play a significant role in how fast you age, so if your parents aged really well, that may be the case for you too. Your skin's thickness, color, and vascularity can determine how quickly damage or signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles appear.
“Cognitive decline may begin after midlife, but most often occurs at higher ages (70 or higher).” (Aartsen, et al., 2002) “… relatively little decline in performance occurs until people are about 50 years old.” (Albert & Heaton, 1988).
Improve your blood pressure
High blood pressure in midlife increases the risk of cognitive decline in old age. Use lifestyle modification to keep your pressure as low as possible. Stay lean, exercise regularly, limit your alcohol to two drinks a day, reduce stress, and eat right.
Changes in the Aging Brain
Certain parts of the brain shrink, especially those important to learning and other complex mental activities. In certain brain regions, communication between neurons (nerve cells) may not be as effective. Blood flow in the brain may decrease.
According to the research, the average American starts feeling old at the age of 47. Similarly, the average respondent starts to really worry about age-related bodily changes around 50 years old.
Positive emotions trigger happy senses, which studies have shown can slow down the aging process. Besides, a positive attitude in your thoughts can also help reduce your risk of dementia.
According to a study published in the Social Indicators Research journal, we're the happiest between the ages of 30-34, and midlife (our 40s and 50s) is not perceived as the least happy period in life.
“Retinol and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) can rejuvenate the skin and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles,” Dr. Patel says. “Hyaluronic acid helps your skin retain moisture, which gives it a smooth, glowing look.” Opt for serums and night creams with retinol and AHAs, and a daily face moisturizer with hyaluronic acid.
Exercise is one of the best ways to delay aging. And with good reason: too much time sitting (sedentary behavior) is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and an early death. Aerobic activity is any activity that causes you to breathe harder than normal and your heart to beat faster.
– Recent lab studies have shown that aging is a reversible process, an advancement that has prompted scientists to seek ways to stop the functional decline of cells and tissues, as well as restore their regenerative capacity.
Acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, and hair loss are just a few of the skin disorders that have been associated with increased rates of depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. Some of the skin conditions frequently linked to mental health include: acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Sadness. Facial movements: Inner corners of eyebrows raised, eyelids loose, lip corners pulled down. Sadness is hard to fake, according to researchers. One of the telltale signs of sadness is the inner-brow raise, which very few people can do on demand.