Aging gracefully may seem like something you need to focus on once you’re old and grey, but the truth is, the habits you do each day now will result in long-term healthy mind and body benefits. Here are some of our favorite ways to age beautifully. 

Skin

Drinking water and wearing sunscreen are two of the best ways to protect your body’s largest organ. Researchers say as we age, we need to drink more water to compensate for changes in body temperature regulation. Dehydration can cause a number of ailments, including muscle pain, fatigue, and heat exhaustion. Further, those who use sunscreen daily are 24 percent less likely to show increased signs of aging. Of course, there are numerous anti-aging skin products available; some of our favorites are here.

Brain

Engaging in cognitively challenging and stimulating activities like working, dancing and art making have numerous benefits on the mind. Activities that involve moving and socializing can perk up an aging brain and engaging in the arts can slow the aging process. Additionally, connecting with others whether it’s pushing off retirement to keep your social network in place, volunteering, joining a club, or scheduling social activities is important to maintain social connections. Those with healthy lifestyles and close relationships have longevity. 

Lowering your stress is another excellent way to slow the effects of aging. Check out our previous post on stress management to help prevent chronic stress. Also, ensure quality sleep. If you haven’t slept, your mood is different, your energy is different, your hormones are not working properly, you’re not digesting your food, you’re not getting a chance to repair your body, and your mind does not have a chance to reconcile what happened the day before. Sleep is an essential component of everyday holistic health practices. 

Nutrition

What you eat directly affects how you feel and how physically healthy you are. If you need to loose weight, there are small changes you can make to accomplish your goal. Start by writing down what you eat everyday in a journal for one week. Look for patterns. Are there substitutions you can make such as swapping processed foods like bacon for nutrient rich unprocessed items? Processed meats have approximately four times more sodium and 50 percent more nitrate preservatives than unprocessed meats. 

Also, adding vibrant, darkly colored fruits and vegetables like blueberries, cherries, spinach and kale that are loaded with nutrients, fiber and carotenoids will fill you up so you’re less likely to binge on junk food. And, if you have trouble getting all of your vitamins in, consider bridging the gap with supplements.

Exercise

In addition to exercises like yoga that incorporate a spirituality aspect and help the mind focus, studies show that incorporating High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), with short bursts of intense exercise for 15 minutes into your routine can provide health and fitness benefits the same as or greater than an hour or more of steady state, low impact exercise. Strength training also has numerous benefits, from keeping muscles and bones strong to preventing you from slowing down. 

Balance

Falls are the leading cause of injury among Americans over age 65. Balance training can reduce falls by 50 percent. Working with a personal trainer or physical therapist can help improve balance, as can exercises such as standing up from a seated position without using your hands, walking in a line, heel to toe, for a short distance, or walking backward and sideways. 

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