Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

As you get older, there are some things which can happen that are largely out of your control, such as gray hair, hair loss, and wrinkles. However, there are many other things that you can control, and it’s these that can make the difference to how young you look and how long you live. Here are some of the top tips for staying young in both your mind and your body.

Cosmetics

Even though you can’t decide when you go gray or when you lose your hair or your eyesight, there are things you can do which will help you to lessen these effects. For example, if you are going gray, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t dye your hair if you feel the need. Many people, both men and women, dye their hair, and it can create a more youthful look. For those people who lose their hair, especially at a young age, it can cause a number of issues with self-esteem and confidence. There are many treatments which are on the market that claim to help restore hair loss, and there are hair replacement procedures you can also use. If you start to find that your eyesight is getting worse, then you don’t have to rely on glasses. Although glasses are more fashionable than ever, many still don’t like the idea of wearing them. Instead, you could decide to wear contact lenses like this product, or you can even have laser eye surgery to correct the problem.

Positive Mental Attitude

There are typically two types of people: those who are pessimistic and think that almost everything will go wrong and put a negative slant on things, and positive people that think the opposite. For many, this way of thinking is part of their character and the way they have been raised, though you can learn to be positive if you try simple techniques. There is increasing evidence to suggest that a positive mental attitude is something that can have a profound effect on your health and how long you live. For example, one study published by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health found that of 100,000 women, optimists were 30 percent less likely to die of heart disease than pessimists. The key is to look at life as a series of opportunities instead of hurdles. It is this type of positive thinking that can help you live longer and suffer less disease.

Don’t Act Your Age

The saying ‘you are only as old as you feel’ is true in many ways. Your physical appearance can sometimes determine how old you feel on the inside, which in turn affects your body. For example, if you are over the age of fifty and decide that you are now too old to go hiking, then you will convince yourself and your body that you’re right. That, in turn, will lead to your muscles getting weaker through lack of exercise, which will make you feel older and less able to do what you want to do. Age doesn’t limit the things you can do, however! Only your body can do that, so if you are physically able to do something, you should keep doing it until you can’t any longer.

Resist Mobility Aids Until Necessary

When you get older, you might find that your fitness starts to lessen and that it takes more to attain the level of fitness you had when you were younger. For some, this leads them to reduce their exercise and perhaps even to start using mobility aids like sticks and frames. The key is to try and avoid using these aids until you have to. If you feel that you can’t keep up with your old fitness routine, try to modify it, so you are working out for shorter periods or reducing the reps if you’re lifting weights. These small changes will allow you to keep going while stopping you from injuring yourself. If you feel that you have reached the point where you need to use aids, don’t let it stop you from keeping fit. You can still do many fitness routines sitting down, or standing still, so adjust your routine accordingly.

Keep Working

There are many studies which have found a correlation between retirement and early death. One study showed that for every year someone retires early, they lose about two months of life expectancy. You might think that you are looking forward to retirement because your job is stressful and demanding. However, it is also something to look forward to and a reason to get out of bed in the mornings. These are strong positive ideas that promote a better mental attitude. Not only that, but working promotes social interaction, keeps the mind active, and also keeps you fitter. If you are sure that your current job is getting too much, then there is no reason why you can’t retire, but get a part-time job to keep you busy. Even volunteering is a great way to stay healthy and be active long into your older years.

Set Positive Goals

Setting goals is an important part of a successful and fulfilling life. Those that have learned to set goals early in life have had more success than those that haven’t. It is this attitude that can also help you to live longer and stay younger because you are always looking forward to the next big thing. It also helps you to push your limits and explore new opportunities that others without this attitude miss. The best idea is to think of something that you think is a big and bold goal and set the wheels in motion to achieve it. What that goal is, depends on your own imagination and your determination to achieve it.

The overwhelming evidence from many studies is that your mental attitude to aging and the way you look is one of the most important factors to living a long and youthful life. Any way that you can promote that attitude in yourself is a positive step forward.