Aging is a natural and natural process. But there are certain daily habits that accelerate our aging process. Some we don’t know are aging us, others we know but still can’t get rid of. These include smoking, excessive sun exposure, which we already know, and sleeping on one side every night. We look at those mistakes that we have turned into bad habits and how we can avoid them.

“About 30 percent of your aging is genetically determined, which means you have a lot of control over how to make this natural process smooth and beautiful,” says Dr. Doris J. Day, assistant professor of dermatology at University Medical Center. , New York and author of the skincare book Forget the Facelift.

Sleep is necessary for the normal functioning of the body not only after reaching a certain age. Skin care products should be chosen according to the needs of the skin as it ages. Even if we have already made these changes in our lifestyle, experts draw our attention to the fact that we are doing certain actions that accelerate the aging process without even realizing it.

MISTAKE #1: sleeping on one side of the body

You know sleep is important if you want to be healthy and look your best. During sleep, the body initiates the process of repairing many tissues in the body, including the skin. Therefore, without deep sleep, the skin does not achieve the recovery that occurs overnight. Plus, as Dr. Mary P. Lupo, a professor of dermatology at Tulane University in New Orleans, explains, the skin on your face will age faster if you sleep on the same side night after night. This position can contribute to the loss of skin elasticity and collagen, which accelerates skin aging over time. “It’s like pressing a crease in your pants every time you step. “Mechanical wrinkling of the skin by deformation of skin collagen and obstruction of blood circulation in this area due to sleeping position leads to the appearance of permanent wrinkles,” says the dermatologist.

What to do: Avoid sleeping on your side at night, and if you can’t sleep on your back (those with shoulder problems can put a pillow under the aching shoulder; those with back pain should not use pillows), change sides often, on which you sleep at night.

MISTAKE #2: Sadness and depression tense the facial muscles, which leads to the appearance of wrinkles

Not only the lack of a quality night’s sleep, but also your mood can accelerate the aging of the skin. When we’re depressed, our facial muscles are tense, which leads to those specific grimaces — furrowed brows and those “negative facial expressions that accentuate fine lines, leading to wrinkles,” Dr. Day explains. At the same time, depression is associated with high levels of cortisol, which causes collagen to decrease and can lead to decreased growth hormone synthesis, which interferes with the skin’s ability to repair itself at night, Dr. Day adds. Also, when people are depressed, they don’t eat, sleep, exercise, or take care of their skin properly.

What to do: immediate mood improvement is achieved by movement in the fresh air (walking), light physical exercises that can be done in front of an open window, with the help of special help (a psychologist) or with the administration of antidepressants, which can be recommended to you by a family doctor together with a specialist.

MISTAKE #3: Go to bed without turning your face away

It often happens that women forget to remove their makeup before going to bed. This is a very serious mistake. Cleansing your face before bed means removing makeup, as well as dirt and sweat that accumulates throughout the day. If you give up this habit, the pores of your skin become clogged, and acne can appear.

What to do: Never give up this habit again. By using a gentle exfoliation before bed to clean your skin, you will keep it healthy and help it not look older than it should.

MISTAKE #4: excessive use of care products

As they say, using too much skin care products can damage your skin. For example, products containing retinol are used to prevent and reduce wrinkles, but when combined with products containing benzoyl peroxide (a common ingredient in acne-fighting cosmetics), they can dry out and irritate the skin. And when the skin becomes dry and irritated, it becomes red and inflamed, and as a result, even the smallest wrinkles become visible.

What to do: Stick to products that you know work for your skin type.

MISTAKE #5: Using certain medications and sunlight

If you take corticosteroids by mouth (for asthma, arthritis, or other conditions) or if you apply certain topical ointments that contain them, it can reduce collagen and elastin (the protein that gives skin elasticity). Because of this, the skin becomes thinner, and blood vessels are prone to rupture. Capillaries, the thinnest blood vessels, burst. On the other hand, certain antibiotics, diuretics (for high blood pressure), and vasodilators make the skin very sensitive to sunlight. “This is usually the cause of premature wrinkles and changes in pigmentation,” warns Dr. Day.

What to do: “Since stopping these medications is not an option, it’s very important to be careful in the sun,” says Dr. Day. “This means avoiding the midday sun, wearing clothing that protects against the sun, using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day, and reapplying it regularly.” Using a cream containing retinol at night can stimulate collagen production, which in turn can help compensate for thinning skin, Dr. Day explains: “It’s even more important than sunscreen during the day.”

MISTAKE #6: Excessive screen time

Previous studies have linked excessive screen use to psychological and physical health problems. A new study published in Frontiers in Aging, but not exclusively here, shows that these devices affect our basic cellular functions and aging processes. It is about the influence of blue light from electronic devices – mobile phones, computers and televisions. It can affect various cells of our body.

“Excess exposure to blue light can have harmful effects on a wide range of cells in our body, from skin and fat cells to sensory neurons,” says Dr. Jadwiga Gibultowicz, lead author of the study and professor of integrative biology at Oregon State University.

The results of this study may indicate that cells are functioning at a suboptimal level when exposed to blue light, causing them to die early. This can lead to accelerated aging.

What you need to do: Minimize your screen time. To do this, read (if you can on the street, on a bench, in the park), occupy your time with creativity (drawing, do-it-yourself, crochet, puzzle) and physical socialization.

MISTAKE No. 7: improper nutrition and repeated diets

Eating highly processed foods (delicacies) or sugary foods (juices) can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which can trigger chronic, mild inflammation at the cellular level. This hidden inflammation can, in turn, accelerate skin aging.

In a nutshell, here’s how it works: Glucose (from carbohydrates and sugars) enters the bloodstream and attaches itself to protein molecules, including collagen (which gives structure to the skin), forming new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). They destroy collagen and elastin, explains Dr. Ellen Marmur, assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. When this happens, collagen and elastin can become stiffer and less functional, which can cause wrinkles and aging of the skin.

Repeated weight gain and loss can cause the skin to constantly stretch and contract, which can affect its elasticity, especially as we age, warns Dr. Day. In addition to the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite, this cycle of weight gain and weight loss also has a visible effect on the skin, which will begin to look older.

What to do: Eliminate simple carbohydrates from your diet, which are quickly converted to sugar in the blood, and favor whole grains, vegetables and fruits. In particular, increase your intake of antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, pineapple, papaya, red and green peppers, and broccoli. The same goes for using skin care products with antioxidant ingredients like vitamins C and E, resveratrol, green tea, and grape seeds.

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