No one disputes that different people age at different rates; some remain healthy well into their ninth or tenth decade of life while others succumb to serious illnesses at an earlier stage in life.
Aging can’t be avoided, but healthy lifestyle habits may help slow your biological clock compared to your chronological age. Here are a few strategies for doing just that:
Diet
There’s no ‘fountain of youth’ pill or treatment that can reverse aging completely, but certain lifestyle habits may help slow it down and make you appear younger than your chronological age. Eating healthily and exercising regularly are two effective ways of keeping biological age below chronological age so you look and feel younger than expected.
Cellularly speaking, aging results from repeated cell division. Each time cells divide, their chromosomes get shorter until eventually breaking down entirely and triggering self-destruction or “aging”, visible signs of which become evident over time (Flint 2020).
Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains may help reverse aging by improving blood biomarkers correlated with it and decreasing inflammation, both key contributors to many chronic illnesses including heart disease and diabetes. Exercise may also slow aging by helping preserve muscle loss while improving blood sugar levels and brain health (Capurson 2019). Vitamin C supplements have long been touted as anti-ageing tools as they protect cells from damage while aiding collagen synthesis to increase skin elasticity and firmness (Capurson 2019).
Sleep
Sleep may be one of the greatest unsung secrets to living a long and fulfilling life into your golden years. While age will unavoidably increase with each passing year, prioritizing ample, quality restful slumber can significantly delay biological aging processes and extend your years with beauty and vitality.
Sleep is essential to keeping you looking young on both the inside and out. Your central nervous system, cardiovascular system and immune function all undergo restorative processes while sleeping; when these functions are disrupted aging accelerates both internally and externally – noticeable effects include skin turning sallow and eyes puffy; while on an internal level lack of sleep causes chronic inflammation and oxidative stress which contribute to various diseases as you age.
Prioritizing quality sleep will help keep blood sugar and lipid levels more steady while protecting immune cells from damage from free radicals – decreasing your risk for degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. At a cellular level, quality rest also promotes hormone production that support muscle health and strength as well as maintaining bone and tendon health and strength.
Supplements
Reversing aging may not yet be feasible, but adopting healthy habits like diet, sleep, strength training, stress reduction, cardio and cardio can improve numerous biomarkers associated with aging, such as cholesterol, blood sugar levels, inflammation levels and brain function. Supplements may also help; InsideTracker recommends several related to anti-ageing claims like collagen, green tea brew, ashwagandha extracts, vitamin D3, methyl folate and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).
Though supplements may have some evidence of slowing or reversing biological aging, diet and lifestyle remain key elements in avoiding age-related disease and improving performance. Consult with a healthcare provider or dietitian before beginning any new supplements with unknown or potentially harmful side effects; those who stick to their health goals will see significant gains over time.
Mental Health
Mental health is an integral component of overall well-being, impacting emotions, thinking and communication as well as relationships and day-to-day functioning. Mental wellbeing helps us manage stressors more effectively while adapting to change more readily while finding meaning and fulfillment in life.
Mental health conditions can be hard to identify and treat, leading to anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder – serious conditions which need treatment if left unchecked can cause serious consequences. Therefore it’s crucial that treatment plans remain on track as soon as symptoms appear – talking with professionals such as psychiatrists or psychologists would likely be useful, though your primary care physician may also offer referrals.
Mental health conditions can have a profound effect on one’s quality of life. Seeking professional assistance – be it talking therapy or medication – can make a significant difference to how one approaches life and wellbeing. Sticking with a treatment plan and sticking with its recommendations are the keys to improving mental wellbeing.
Participate in community activities to keep yourself socially connected, which can prevent feelings of isolation and promote greater self-awareness. Loneliness can be especially harmful to older adults with limited familiarity with technology or physical limitations that limit travel options.
Mental disorders are among the leading causes of morbidity and disability worldwide, contributing to other illnesses as well as premature mortality. Yet their global burden remains underestimated and under-addressed – particularly among low and middle income countries which devote relatively small portions of their health budgets towards mental health services; instead relying heavily on out-of-pocket spending or non-specialist providers; leaving individuals without treatment and support services who require additional support services.
