Harnessing youth or at least a youthful appearance is a priority for all. No wonder, anti-ageing cosmetics and age defying supplements find plenty of takers these days. Invariably, however, most of us fail to realise that our lifestyle habits can hasten the ageing process considerably. It is extremely important to determine the common habits that make you age faster and swing into damage control before it is too late.

Common Habits that make you Age faster

1. To be young, you need to feel young. The biggest deterrent to a rejuvenated and youthful mind is stress. Carrying the stress baggage around can cause serious cognitive decline and impairment. It is very important to determine your stress factors and try and diffuse them through relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and regular exercise.
2. Sleep well. Doctors clearly state that even aged individuals need seven to eight hours of sound sleep each day. Therefore, it’s very important for you to stick to a fixed bed time and get as much sleep as possible. In case you are not able to rest as you should despite of trying, the reason could be sleep disorders and you may need to seek prompt medical intervention.
3. We all know that smoking is injurious to health and can lead to life threatening diseases involving the heart and lungs. What most of us would not know is that it’s bad for our looks too! Smoking releases certain unfavourable enzymes in the body, which in turn reduce the elasticity of the skin. This paves way for ugly wrinkles. Therefore, smoking emerges as one of the most prominent habits that make you age faster. Kick the butt before it is too late!
4. Looking slim and svelte could be your dream, but resorting to crash diets to achieve the same, is a bad idea. Crash dieting will deprive your body of vital nutrients and can prove to be a serious health threat in the long run. Besides, when ageing skin tries to adjust to drastic weight loss, fine lines and wrinkles come easy. Although, losing weight is essential as you age, keeping the rate of weight loss moderate is advisable.

In addition, leading sedentary lives and resorting to unhealthy diet could be some of the other habits that make you age faster. Leading an active, balanced and happy life is the only key to youthful demeanour.