9 Little Things That Cause Your Skin to Age

Have you ever wondered what causes your skin to age? Aging skin is not only caused by not using sunscreen, even though that is one of the most common reasons. However, there are many other things that cause skin aging that most of us aren’t even aware of. Here are a few little things that cause your skin to age that you should know about.

1. Lack of sleep

Having an irregular sleep schedule or not getting enough sleep cause dark circles and sallow skin. Lack of sleep can even cause premature skin ageing. Sure, we can’t get a good night’s sleep all the time, but if you want your skin to stay soft and young as long as possible, try your best to get enough sleep every day!

2. Sugar

Sugar is one of those small things that cause your skin to age. I always knew consuming lots of sugar was terrible for my waistline, but I didn’t know that it could cause my skin to age! The thing is that when your blood sugar is very high, it causes a glycation process that harms collagen and elastin in your skin, which leads to wrinkles. To keep your skin fresh and youthful, make sure you eat sugar in moderation.

3. High-stress lifestyle

Moderate amounts of stress can be healthy because it can push you to a certain level of optimal alertness and can boost your mental performance. However, when the level of stress is high, it can negatively influence you in different ways. A high-stress lifestyle can cause anxiety and depression, increase your risk of numerous chronic diseases, and even shrink gray matter in the brain. A high-stress lifestyle can also cause your skin to age. That’s why keeping stress under control is really worth it. You should never allow stress to control you. Don’t forget to have plenty of rest and try to learn how to control your emotions. Your mental as well as physical health greatly depend on it.

4. Excessive running

While exercise is a healthy thing, excessive running can cause aging skin. The point is that excessive running causes a breakdown of collagen, thus it’s important to keep runs short so that you’re able to get the health benefits without “runner’s face.”

5. Low-fat diet

Eliminating all sources of fat from your diet is a bad thing. I hope you know that there are certain healthy fats that help keep you feeling and looking great. Avoiding trans and saturated fats is always a great idea, but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have plenty of health benefits. These good fats help reduce inflammation in eczema and rosacea and lower the risk of acne and some other common skin problems.

6. Makeup

Your makeup should enhance your features, but not age you! Definitely, makeup doesn’t age your skin, but it causes you to look older, especially if you use the wrong shades or formulas. It accentuates existing wrinkles, fine lines and other imperfections that cause you to look much older than you actually are.

7. Cotton pillowcase

It sounds ridiculous, but cotton pillowcase can also cause your skin to age. It’s better to use a satin or silk pillowcases instead of cotton ones. Perhaps you know that a cotton pillowcase can harbor oil, dirt and hair and skin care products that can clog your pores. Moreover, a cotton pillowcase sucks up moisture from the skin and if you sleep on the same side of the cotton pillowcase, this habit can cause creases and lines that can lead to wrinkles.

8. Dry and cold air

A cold, dry and windy air can also cause your skin to age. The wind can sap precious moisture out of the skin making it prone to wrinkles and fine lines. So make sure you use a humidifier and don’t forget to apply your moisturizer when you get out of the shower.

9. Excessive drinking

It’s okay to treat yourself to a nightcap or indulge in a happy hour with your friends, but don’t do it too often since it can do a number on your skin. Alcohol is a diuretic that promotes urine production causing the level of water and salt in the body to go down. Alcohol can also cause acne, rosacea outbreaks, and wrinkles! To avoid premature aging of your skin, make sure you drink alcohol in moderation.