7 steps to looking younger

We can’t stop time from ticking, as great as that sounds, but there are ways we can achieve a more youthful look without submitting ourselves to expensive salon treatments. Try these 7 steps to looking younger.

Drinking more water and lathering on SPF are the traditional methods, but why don’t we start thinking about anti-ageing from the core? Because the secret to youthful looks isn’t in a chemist-load of magic creams, it’s time to start examining our everyday habits and making simple tweaks to our routines. Let’s hear from the experts and break down what really makes a difference to the way we look and feel.

1. Think positively

‘The top trend for women being placed younger than they are is having a positive attitude,’ says a research study into the effect of lifestyle on visual ageing by Seven Seas.

If you want to look and feel younger, adopting a positive mindset can make all the difference. Not only does positive thinking cut stress (which can increase your risk of heart disease and speed up cellular ageing), ‘you’re also less likely to suffer from troublesome conditions like irritable bowel syndrome if you have high levels of optimism and describe your stress levels as low,’ tells nutritionist, Helen Bond.

2. Get more sleep

‘Sleep is essential for wellbeing, yet three quarters of us don’t get enough,’ a recent study by bedding company Silentnight revealed. ‘Skimping on bedtime has a detrimental effect on our work, relationships, looks and health, sending stress levels soaring and making us prone to hormone imbalances, illness and weight gain,’ explains registered nutritionist, Louise Pyne – we need it!

Researchers also now believe that not getting enough sleep could accelerate the speed with which we age: ‘the hormonal changes resulting from a lack of sleep trigger changes in the body similar to ageing, meaning that ongoing sleep deprivation could exacerbate or speed up the onset of many age-related conditions such as memory loss, obesity and diabetes.’

To look and feel younger we suggest trying to implement a regular bedtime routine and making sure that you’re getting enough sleep – at least eight hours a night.

3. Cut out caffeine

It may make us feel more alive in the short-term, but in the long-term caffeine can actually prevent us from holding water, which in turn can make our skin look sort of prune-like. Uh-oh! ‘Caffeine (especially in those that are sensitive to the effects) can act as a mild diuretic and therefore can make the body lose greater volumes of water than usual by increasing urine production. This means your need for fluid increases,’ says Helen. ‘Making sure that you’re adequately hydrated is vital for healthy skin and in turn looking younger. Dehydrated skin is more likely to develop wrinkles as it stops being so elastic. Plus, it is one of the biggest causes of tiredness and lack of energy.’

To avoid this damage stay hydrated: ‘Water is best, but it can include: caffeine containing tea and coffee, herbal teas, milk and juice. Plenty of fluid gives skin the necessary moisture to function properly. Plus it helps to clear the body of toxins and carry nutrients to cells,’ adds Helen.

4. Increase your oily fish intake

‘Omega-3 fats (found in oily fish) are vital for good health. They’re well-known for their role in keeping your heart and circulatory system healthy, but they’re also believed to be important for healthy skin – helping to keep cells water-tight and well-hydrated. Plus they have an anti-inflammatory role and have been shown to help relieve dryness and redness,’ says Helen. Try adding more oily fish to your diet, like salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel and sardines. ‘If you don’t like oily fish then you could try high-quality fish oil supplements such as Perfect7 or plant sources of omega 3s – flaxseeds/linseeds, rapeseed oil, chia seeds and/or walnuts’ she adds.

4. Have a low-sugar diet

A theory that’s growing in popularity is the idea that sugar and refined carbohydrates cause skin ageing. Dr Nicholas Perricone, dermatologist and author of The Wrinkle Cure believes that they create cellular inflammation throughout the body. Sugar molecules bind to collagen in our skin in a process called glycation – creating inflammation that breaks down collagen, resulting in wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. The skin is then more vulnerable to other ageing factors such as smoking and UV light.

Not only will reducing your sugar consumption help to improve your appearance by keeping off any excess pounds, it’ll help to reduce these wrinkles. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advises lowering intake of ‘free sugars’ to around 5% of daily dietary energy intake which is 25g for women (5-6 tsp) and 35g (7-8 tsp) for men.

6. Reduce your alcohol intake

‘It may make us feel good, but alcohol is a hepatotoxin,’ which means it specifically damages the liver, says Dr. Colbert, founder of New York Dermatology Group. How does this affect our skin? ‘Well, you start to look sallow, pasty and your pores become bigger,’ he explains. ‘The less sugar you take in with your alcohol, the better for your long-term wrinkle risk.’ If you must have an alcoholic drink we suggest sticking to white spirits because they contain less sugar. Stay clear of beer (malt sugar) and sweet drinks like Mojitos as they pack a lot of the white stuff!

7. Give up smoking

If you’re a smoker then you might be aware that not only does smoking increase your risk of many serious illnesses, including cancer and heart disease, it’s also a major factor behind many common signs of ageing. Smoking can irritate the skin and deprive it of oxygen and nutrients, leading to wrinkles and dull skin. It increases the risk of many common eye conditions and according to research by the Erasmus Medical School in Rotterdam – it ‘can double your risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.’ While the skin wrinkles may not be reversible, you can prevent worsening of wrinkling by quitting smoking now.