6 Ways to Stay Young at Any Age
It happens to all of us at some point: We wake up tired, feeling achy, or tired. If you think you’ve finally started to “feel your age,” you don’t have to get stuck in this mindset. Thankfully, there are some straightforward ways that can help you feel younger again.
Sleep Better
New studies suggest there is a deeper connection between sleep and aging than we previously knew. Namely, we may find that our bodies age more quickly if we don’t get enough sleep. So, to boost your energy and counter any age-related diseases, it’s essential to sleep better each night. To support your efforts, focus on your bedroom by keeping the thermostat at a comfortable temperature and blocking any light from windows by using blackout curtains. Then, consider updating your bedding and pillows to be as comfortable as possible at night. By doing so, you stand a better chance of being well-rested — and staying that way.
Gut Health
The health of our stomachs and our overall well-being is inseparable. In fact, the good bacteria that live in our gut microbiome helps us to process food, prevent us from getting sick, and potentially influence how well we fight stress. With that in mind, it’s important to eat a better diet to ensure your gut works the way it should. Thankfully, our diets can be freshened up by adding probiotic foods to meals, like sauerkraut, kimchi, raw cheese, or kefir. One or two servings a day could be enough to make a difference in your overall health.
Have Fun
It sounds too good to be true, but adding some fun to your daily routine can be transformative. If you’ve ever felt that a certain spark is missing from your daily life, then it’s time for some eustress, which is the positive form of stress. For instance, consider how laughter makes us feel, and how it staves off illness and keeps our bodies healthy overall. It’s good to do something fun each day, even if you have to schedule a little time for it. After all, nothing makes us feel young like laughing without care and smiling out of joy.
Give Time to Charity
Another way to experience uplifting happiness is by donating some of your time to charity. Indeed, doing something good for others may provide more joy than doing something solely for yourself. In turn, this creates a rush of dopamine that increases our satisfaction, something that can be lacking if we feel older than we are. Beyond that, you may find that actively supporting a charity can also lower blood pressure and stress levels.
Lift Weights
When our bodies age prematurely, we may notice tightness in our muscles, tiredness, and potentially chronic illness. However, we could undo some of the damage by developing an exercise routine. In fact, not only do stronger, more toned muscles improve how we feel, they may also help us look younger, too, by improving elasticity in the skin. Moreover, you’ll likely have increased energy levels each day, which will help you feel like yourself again.
Indulge Yourself
One overlooked aspect of staying vital is actively caring for ourselves, our bodies, and our spirits. All it takes to feel younger is to spend a day every few weeks pampering ourselves. If you’re unsure where to start, consider a spa day at home to really invest in lowering stress and improving skin health. Even whipping up a homemade face mask and soaking in bath salts can go a long way to restoring you, physically and emotionally.
Don’t think you need to resign yourself to feeling older than you are. Our bodies have a great capacity for healing and can do incredible things when we treat them well. By taking care of ourselves, we’re more likely to feel good each and every day.
Guest Post by Dana Brown, the creator of Health Conditions, which aims to provide Internet users with helpful content and resources that will lead them to making healthier decisions.
Dana has 15 years of care giving experience, and after seeing some patterns of poor health she became determined to help inform people about healthy living.