Habits that speed up aging (2)

The way you sleep can add years to your face and may shorten your lifespan. Here, experts discuss the most age-accelerating habits and ways to reverse the process.

You get fewer than five hours sleep

Skimping on sleep not only results in dark bags under the eyes – it has also been linked to a shorter lifespan, said Casciari, who founded a sleep laboratory at St, Joseph’s Hospital. “Sleeping within the seven hour range is optimal,” he said. Get to bed earlier if you have the symptoms of sleep deprivation, which include a lack of daytime energy, mental sluggishness, attention problems, or weight gain, Casciari said.

You love a good TV marathon

Binge-watching the latest season of House of Cards is one thing; regularly gluing yourself to the TV is another. In a British Journal of Sports Medicine study of about 11,000 Australians ages 25 and older, researchers found that for every hour of television watched, adults cut their life expectancy by 22 minutes. What’s more, people who spent an average of six hours a day watching TV lived five years less than their non-viewing counterparts.

“This effect is more about sitting and being inactive than the TV watching,” Casciari said. “When you sit for more than 30 minutes your body begins to deposit sugar into your cells, which makes it much more likely you’ll be overweight as well.” Whether you are watching TV or at your desk, get up every 30 minutes to walk around, he said.

Source: health.com