According to data collected during the last decade, we’re living longer than ever before. One study revealed that the number of Americans living to be 65 years of age or older had increased tenfold during the last century – and those figures are set to rise. As medicinal and technological advancements have improved our health and quality of life, our obsession with appearance has also gathered pace; media outlets pander to our vanity with all manner of quests for eternal youth. How successful are these procedures, treatments, and hacks, really?
Your quest for a younger outlook begins here
You’ve no doubt heard of the surgeries and invasive procedures used by celebrities in their quest to cheat the clock. From Botox and plastic surgery to seaweed wraps and laser treatments, you could spend a fortune keeping the years at bay – with very little effort required. However, the quest for fresher-looking skin and a younger attitude could start a lot closer to home than you had ever imagined. Far from being life hacks, the following tips offer tidbits that we could all achieve if we put our minds to it. You certainly don’t need to be a celebrity or have access to a phonebook filled with surgeons’ numbers in order to look and feel younger…
Sleep on it
Did you know that the number of sheep you count could be affecting your body’s clock? Lack of sleep causes feelings of lethargy and exhaustion, impairing memory and cognitive function, and doing little to inspire energy. What’s more, fewer slumbers can dehydrate skin and encourage your complexion to age at a faster rate of knots. Perhaps the simplest way to cheat the clock is to ensure that you’re getting enough sleep; experts recommend somewhere between seven and nine hours each night if you’re to feel properly refreshed and ready to face the day.
Stay hydrated
Dehydration is skin’s greatest enemy, bringing with it a variety of problems. From excess oil and blemishes, to increased sensitivity and fine lines, failing to drink enough water can play havoc with your complexion – and the rest of your poor, aging body. While experts have long suggested drinking two liters or eight ounces of water per day, it’s important to consider your levels of activity and health as you decide what and how much to drink. Similarly, research now suggests that a little caffeine, which is rich in antioxidants, might actually be good for you. We’d merely suggest that you avoid too many cups of tea or coffee at bedtime…
Enjoy a healthy, balanced diet
You are what you eat, you know. A diet rich in fresh, colorful fruit and vegetables, fish, and seed oils is among the best ways to remain fit and healthy, and to keep those lines, wrinkles, and imperfections at bay. These kinds of foods provide nutrients and antioxidants, which are known to attack and stabilize free radicals; that is, certain molecules that would otherwise damage your healthy cells and speed up the aging process. Supplements containing plenty of vitamin C, E, and beta-carotene are also advisable, while you’ll want to avoid processed sugar and junk food as far as possible.
Treat your skin
There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, but remember to treat your skin every day. Sun block offers essential protection against harmful UV rays, which do little for an aging complexion. A decent moisturizer, sugar scrubs, and regular massages are also likely to help you cheat the clock as they nourish the skin and improve circulation. When it comes to fighting the aging process, Botox alternative Sta-Tight is yet another weapon for your arsenal; applied in small amounts, it works to reverse the hands of time in just four weeks. Indeed, you’ve no doubt seen its effects on infomercials, and been tempted to call and order yourself a lifetime’s supply. Finally, consider reducing the amount of makeup that you wear, if any. Skin should be allowed to breathe and recover in its own time.
Get plenty of exercise
Exercise is an essential component for a healthy lifestyle. As well as improving fitness, increasing muscles mass, keeping bones and joints supple, and decreasing your risk of developing a variety of ailments, regular exercise can also do wonders for mental health and wellbeing. A brisk walk or swim or an outing on a bicycle is likely to lift your mood before you know it. Researchers have discovered that exercise can also improve the complexion, delivering a burst of vital oxygen and nutrients to the skin and its layers. Do you see that healthy glow that you achieve after a particularly successful morning of cardio? If that’s not cheating the clock, then we don’t know what is.
Curtail those indulgences
Bad news, we’re afraid. It would appear that those little vices that you’ve been enjoying up until now are contributing to your aged complexion. Take smoking, for example; smoking just half a packet of cigarettes a day is enough to starve the skin of vital oxygen and nutrients, and greatly accelerate the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes. Alcohol and junk food, meanwhile, can dehydrate and imbalance the complexion, and deprive skin and other organs of vital vitamins and nutrients. Numerous studies suggest that stopping smoking and cutting down on sugary treats, processed foods, and alcohol are your best chance of cheating that clock.
When it comes to cheating the clock, few surgical procedures, invasive treatments, or celebrity hacks are quite as affordable or effective as a bit of self-care. Whether you’re cozying down for a good night’s sleep, mindfully reaching for your water bottle at regular intervals, or enjoying a stress-busting massage each week, we’re betting that you – yes, even you – could make the changes necessary to cheat the clock. Plastic surgery might be enough to disguise those lines and wrinkles for a time, but taking control of your own health and wellbeing is likely to keep that clock at bay for far, far longer. Look after the skin you’re in, and it’ll see you right until the end.
