40 is a dreaded age. It is a new beginning, and the realization that we will all grow old really sinks in. During our early 20s, our main concern is to stay on top of trends, but at the age of 40, all we want is to stay young, be vibrant, and be healthy.
How do we do it? Here are 10 powerful ways on how to look younger at 40.
Let us review each one and help you get started to a younger you!
Stay Moisturized
To stay young and vibrant, your skin must be healthy. Old age makes the skin dry because the skin no longer produces and repairs skin cells as aggressively as it used to be. Moisture keeps your skin from drying, and it also balances your skin’s pH levels, thus preventing bacterial growth.
Find moisturizers that have collagen and Vitamin E, as these are the primary compounds that your skin needs to stay rejuvenated. Moisturize your entire body, including your face, every day. You must do it religiously, and you will look younger and look like you are in your late 20s or early 30s.
Change Your Wardrobe
We do look old because of the clothing that we wear. Normally individuals do not buy a lot of clothing, so your old clothes just accumulate and do not change with the times. If you take an honest look at your wardrobe, you would begin to realize that they are outdated.
Ditch the old wardrobe and buy new ones. Do not buy clothes that teenagers wear. Instead, find a balance between the current trend and your age. Choose clothing that is elegant. Start changing your wardrobe with your daily wear like your formal clothes, and then move your way up to your jeans and shirts.
Be Happy
Being happy is the key to staying young. Life is stressful enough to be thinking of old age. A positive outlook in life will help you do this, and people will see the vibrancy in you if you always flash a smile.
How does being happy help? If you are stressed, you are forcing your brain and body to produce stress chemicals that can even put your life in danger.
There are studies showing a direct link between stress and old age. Stress speeds up cellular aging, and if these cells do age, they lose the ability to repair themselves and multiply. It is a stage called senescence, and these cells will die, never to be replicated again.
Fix Your Hair
Hair is one of the things that people first see. We are judged by our hair. The good thing is that you can do something about it. Cut your hair and do a modern look, without going over the top. You should also color your hair and keep the gray away.
You can do this yourself, or see a stylist regularly to get your hair done. Supplement this activity by taking care of your hair with organic shampoo and other hair care products that make your hair stronger and more vibrant.
Get Regular Facials
Facials are a must to make you look young. You can go to a dermatologist, or use organic face masks and creams to do it at home. A facial treatment rejuvenates your facial skin, making it look younger and brighter. Your face, unlike your body skin, is exposed to direct sunlight and other harmful chemicals all the time.
The best practice is to get a facial once every few weeks. After the sessions, you can maintain the advanced treatment with store-bought organic facial creams.
Eat Lots of Protein
Proteins are the main components of cells after water. Our muscles are made of protein, and so is our skin and hair. As we age, we also eat less, and therefore our bodies do not get the right amount of protein.
If this happens, our hair and skin will deteriorate, our immune responses will not produce the right amount of antibodies, and our skin will not produce enough collagen.
To combat this, you have to eat meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Grains and vegetables are also rich in protein, so the choice is up to you.
Go to the Gym
As we age, the body becomes weaker, and so does our bones. Without exercise, the body is not going to build enough muscle to support us. If we are weak, we look sluggish, and we look old.
Exercise gives our body the right vigor it needs to make us feel young. And if we feel young, we are vibrant—we are glowing.
Why does this happen? Exercise puts our brain and body in a state of arousal or activeness. As a result, the body shows more vitality and youth.
Protect Yourself from the Sun
The sun’s UV rays kill our skin cells. And if they die, less cells work to produce elastin and collagen in our body. Elastin is a substance that keeps our skin elastic—this is why they immediately go back in shape if you pinch them.
Collagen is what makes the skin strong and rigid, and we have more collagen in our body than any other type of protein.
The sun damages the production of these two substances, so you need to stay away from it, or use organic protective creams that act as a barrier between your skin and the sun’s UV rays.
Drink Wine and Water
A huge percentage of the body is made of water. As we get old, we get dehydrated, and only water can combat this. As we age, our body does not signal that we need water as it used to when we were young. Because of this, we do not drink a lot of water.
Red wine has a compound called resveratrol, a powerful substance that fights aging. If you want to look younger at the age of 40, small glass of wine every night is a good practice. Make sure you do not chug a bottle, as we all know that too much alcohol makes us older, not younger.
Take Multi-Vitamins
As we age, our bodies begin to have difficulties producing enzymes and processing vitamins. As such, there is a need to supplement ourselves with vitamins that are critical to staying young.
Our bodies need Vitamins A, C, K, E and B complex to stay young. All of these vitamins have specific functions to make our bodies function normally. Some examples are preventing blood clots, preventing the development of eye bags, boosting our immune system, keeping our skin hydrated, and so much more.
Summary
Turning 40 should not be a day of doom and gloom. It is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, and we should welcome it with positive thoughts for the future.
Aging, however, does not have to come with it. There are ways we can look younger, and we know that looking younger can do wonders for your career and happiness.
Follow our advice on how to look younger at 40, and you will live a fulfilling life as you embark in a new journey!