Ageing is a natural process, but most of us would like to look and feel as young as possible for as long as possible. We all face the prospect of looking in the mirror and spotting signs of ageing, but there are self-help techniques you can employ to look and feel younger. Here are some tips to take on board. 

Look after your skin

The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it plays a crucial role in protecting the internal organs from the elements and external threats. Changes in the appearance of the skin are often one of the first visible signs of getting older. As you age, the skin loses elasticity due to depleted collagen and elastin stores, and this causes a loss of firmness and bounce. You may start to notice fine lines and wrinkles, and your skin might feel a little saggier. While there are cosmetic treatments like a facelift and eyelid surgery available, many people prefer to focus on non-invasive methods of preserving youthful skin. There are a few golden rules to abide by if you’re hoping to keep your skin in tip-top condition. Perhaps the most important of these commandments is protecting your skin in the sun. UV rays can cause sunburn, and they can also accelerate the ageing process. It’s also essential to stay hydrated and to exfoliate your skin once a week. This helps to promote skin cell renewal. Exercise can also help to improve circulation, which ensures that your skin receives vital nutrients.

Get plenty of rest

We all know that a sleepless night can leave us looking and feeling tired. Sleep is critical for enabling the body to recover and recharge. While you snooze, there are several different processes going on, which are responsible for restoring and repairing your cells. If you sleep well, you’ll look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and you should have enough energy to see you through to bedtime. If you’re prone to sleep problems, it’s important to seek help. A lack of sleep can increase the risk of health issues, affect your mood and your performance at work and impact your mental wellbeing. Try and get into a routine, which enables you to wind down in the evenings and go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool, and take a bath, read a book or listen to music to aid relaxation before bed. 

Change Up Your Wardrobe 

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s only right that we allow our brains to feel a lot better about ourselves every single day with the way we present ourselves. Not everyone is into the idea of fashion playing a big part in their lives, but it affects everyone – whether we like it or not. The clothes on our bodies and the accessories we don are judged by those we walk past. They also tell people a lot about ourselves as individuals. 
If you want to feel a little younger and fresher day-in-day-out, then think about how you present yourself through the clothes you wear. By no means should you be this fashionista with the newest gear every single day, but a fresh and clean look would help so much. It doesn’t matter whether you buy from a bamboo clothing store or the latest, newest, up-and-coming local brand; if you enjoy the sight of it, then it’ll make you feel better. You’ll boost your level of attractiveness while building your confidence along the way. This idea is golden.

Exercise

Exercise is a natural remedy, which offers all kinds of amazing health benefits. Living an active lifestyle reduces the risk of a host of severe conditions, including heart disease, some types of cancer, type 2 diabetes and strokes, and it can also make you feel happier and less stressed. Exercise is also beneficial for your skin; it helps to tone and strengthen the muscles, and it can help you lose, gain or maintain weight to achieve a healthy BMI. If you’re not used to regular exercise, you don’t have to become a dedicated gym-goer overnight. Introduce exercise gradually and try and make it part of your daily routine. Even if you only have 20 minutes spare, you can make the most of it by going for a run, taking your bike out, doing a home HIIT (high-intensity interval training) session or even dancing around to your favourite playlist in the kitchen. Start taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, take breaks to stretch your legs during the working day and use your free time to get out and enjoy the fresh air. There’s nothing wrong with chilling out with a movie at the weekends, but make time for family bike rides, a yoga class or a jog in the park too. You should find that you notice a positive difference in the way you look and feel shortly after taking up regular exercise. Physical activity can increase confidence levels, ease anxiety and help you sleep better. It also provides a short-term high caused by the release of endorphins and higher levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain. 

Ageing is inevitable, but there are steps you can take to look and feel younger for longer. If you’re searching for ways to rejuvenate your skin, to boost your energy levels and to improve your health and mental wellbeing, hopefully, these tips will help. Get plenty of rest, take good care of your skin and try and adopt a more active lifestyle. Staying hydrated, protecting yourself in the sun, getting into a sleep routine and moving your body more will make all the difference.

Let go of bad nutrition habits 

Some bad habits can cause the ageing process to accelerate. For instance, junk food and snacks contain a high level of trans fat, which causes your blood vessels to stiffen, leading to more wrinkles. On the other hand, excess alcohol intake can also add more years to your skin. As a tip, make it a point to avoid junk food; instead, invest in healthy food with balanced proportions of carbs, protein, vegetables, and good fats. You should also replace alcohol with healthy beverages like water, fruit juice, tea, and the like. However, if you are struggling with limiting your alcohol intake, you can check out sites like addictionsuk.com for effective therapies to help you out. You can even opt to get your treatments at home, so keep this in mind. 

We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Bella Vou, Bamigo and AddictionsUK. For more features, please pay a visit to our lifestyle page.