Freeze Time: 6 Anti-Aging Tips You Should Be Using Every Day

While growing older is inevitable, looking your age doesn’t have to be. It is possible to keep your skin looking young and fresh as you age, and it doesn’t even require you to spend hundred of dollars on costly creams and serum. Instead, you can often see results simply by following these tried-and-true anti-aging tricks over a lifetime, provided by Austin dermatologist, Dr. Nicholas Snavely. Make them into habits, and your skin will thank you.

1. Get Enough Sleep

When you are asleep, your body isn’t just busy dreaming. It is also busy repairing any damage that was done to your skin throughout the day. Not getting enough sleep not only leaves you looking tired with dark bags under your eyes, but it can even cause certain health conditions or disorders as well, which can also take a toll on your looks. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep to look and feel their best. So, experiment to see how much sleep you need personally.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

As you age, your skin begins to dry out and lose some of its elasticity. Fight the effects of aging by drinking plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated. You should aim for around 64 ounces of water per day. Your individual needs will vary, based on how much time you spend in the sun and how much you sweat due to exercising or living in a hot climate. Drinking plenty of water will help your body flush out toxins, fill in wrinkles and give you a beautiful, youthful appearance.

3. Eat a Healthy Diet

There is some truth to the phrase, “You are what you eat.” If you fill your body with cheap, processed junk foods, your skin will show it. Instead, eat plenty of dark, leafy greens and other colorful fruits and vegetables. Eat fish and substitute vegetable oil for coconut oil. Your body needs the vitamins and minerals that real food provides to look its best. Eating a variety of healthy food will help you feel your best.

4. Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure

Using sunscreen at the beach is a good start. However, if you only limit your sun screen use to the beach, you probably aren’t giving your skin enough protection from the sun’s harmful rays. You may be surprised to learn how much sun exposure your skin receives, while you are doing simple tasks, like driving, sitting by a window or watching your children’s sports games outside. Use a daily moisturizer with SPF to protect your skin from the harmful rays your skin receives on a daily basis, and wear a hat, when you are outside.

5. Refrain from Smoking

Smoking has shown that it leads to premature aging, as the harmful chemicals in cigarettes cause your skin to break down faster. These chemicals also prevent your skin cells from repairing themselves the way that younger skin cells do. In addition, cigarettes have also been correlated with causes of cancer and other serious diseases. Save your youthful complexion and your wallet by giving up smoking altogether.

6. Try Over-the-Counter Anti-Aging Products

Surprisingly enough, some over-the-counter anti-aging products can actually work as well as their expensive counterparts. If you don’t have the money for expensive beauty treatments, don’t despair. Use an over-the-counter moisturizer or wrinkle-reducing product, and your skin is still sure to look great.