8 Secrets to Younger Looking Skin
Paige A. Mitchell
paige.a.mitchell18@gmail.com
As we age, we want our minds and bodies to stay sharp and active and we want our skin to maintain it’s wrinkle-free, youthful glow. Basically, we are all searching for the fountain of youth.
The skincare industry is a billion-dollar business with products promising to reduce wrinkles, rewind aging, and miraculously present healthy, younger looking skin. While there are some products that are essential to protect our skin, such as sunscreen and moisturizer, the first step and most influential factor in improving and maintaining an outward appearance is to focus on taking care of the wholebody. Below is a guide with daily tips you can incorporate into your lifestyle to help your skin look younger from the inside out.
1. Improve sleep quality
One of the most important yet overlooked acts of self care is a focus on improving sleep in order to let your body heal. Utilizing the MindSpa personal development system allows you to do just that. By using a stimulating technology to mimic a meditative state, users are able to relax and improve focus, sleep, and mood.
2. Reduce stress
Research has shown that stress levels directly impact skin condition and influence mental health. How many times have you experienced a break out prior to an important, but stressful event? Research actually showsthat the correlation is not just anecdotal. Rather, in his research, Dr. Granstein said experimental data support the idea that the nervous system and stress affect inflammatory skin conditions in humans, such as acne, psoriasis, and rosacea.
College students in particular experience a lot of skin conditions and breakouts related to stress, depression, and anxiety. This studyaimed to assess the relationship between perceived psychological stress and the prevalence of various skin symptoms in a large, randomly selected sample of undergraduate students.
Both of these studies focus on the benefits you can receive by focusing on improving restorative sleep, thereby reducing stress and helping improve skin.
3. Wash your face every night
Even if you don’t wear makeup daily or use harsh products, it’s important to wash the daily environmental impacts off your skin. With all the soaps and lotions and serums out there today, washing your face can actually be overwhelming at times. The American Academy of Dermatology Associationrecommends a simple approach to face-washing. With your fingertips, gently apply a non-abrasive cleanser, wash away with lukewarm water, and pat dry with a clean, fluffy towel.
4. Hydrate and moisturize your skin daily
Drink plenty of water throughout the day and find a good moisturizer that works with your skin type. If you’ve diligently hydrated and moisturized but your skin is still dry, check your home’s humidity levels. Humidity lower than 40% can take a toll on your health. One solution to this is investing in a portable humidifier or hire a technicianto install or service your whole-house humidifier.
5. Wash your hands often
Not only will this help prevent the spread of germs, but it also keeps dirt and other pore cloggers off your face and skin. Again, use gentle hand soap and warm—not scalding—water. Beware of hand sanitizer too. “By constantly using hand sanitizer, you eliminate the bacteria that helps build up your immune system, allowing antibiotic-resistant bugs to enter your system and make you very sick,” according to Samer Blackmon, M.D.
6. Wear sunscreen
Apply a broad spectrum minimum SPF 30 daily to protect skin. Applying sunscreen daily is important despite the weather and the season. It’ll protect your skin from short-term exposure to UV light, even on a cloudy day. Sunscreenprevents sunburn, early skin aging, and skin cancer.
An argument to wearing sunscreen is that most of us don’t get an adequate amount of vitamin D through our diet and one way of doing so is through direct sunlight. You can—and should—get your vitamin D through supplements rather than the tanning bed. Adults should get at least 600 IU per day of vitamin D, according to the Mayo Clinic, however, 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day from a supplement is generally safe.
7. Consider your diet
We’re sorry to say, but you’ve got to cut back on your vice—be it sugar, alcohol, or caffeine. Eating a lot of sugar causes collagen breakdown while alcohol and caffeine dehydrate the skin. This recent study highlights the positive benefits of participating in Dry Januarycan have on your skin and overall wellness.
8. Don’t smoke
It’s bad for your health and your skin. If you haven’t found a good reason to quit yet, perhaps one of these points will do the trick:
● Smoking cigarettes can lead to poor sleep quality and result in undereye circles.
● It accelerates aging too. The average smoker looks 1.4 years older than nonsmokers.
● Nicotine stains your fingers and your teeth.
● Not to mention, the toxic chemicals in cigarettes make your hair thinner and grayer.
● Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, which limits oxygen-rich blood flow to the tiny vessels in the face or other parts of the body. If you have any visible scars on your body, you can expect them to appear larger and redder.
Consider your whole body and all of your lifestyle habits to figure out their impact on your skin. Regular sleep, consistent exercise, meditation, a balanced diet—all of these factors will provide the biggest results in younger looking skin.