7 Secrets To Aging Gracefully

 “You are as young as you feel” is an oft-repeated phrase that aptly defines graceful aging. Our ability to accept the changes in our body, and being open to new experiences is aging with dignity. The secrets to aging gracefully is not about hiding the outward signs of aging (wrinkles, sagging skin, etc.), but more about staying healthy, pursuing fun activities, and enjoying strong social relationships with people who really matter. It’s about how we approach daily life and activities that keep us happy, content and joyful. Most importantly, graceful aging is about focusing on the positive aspects of life and living in the present moment.

Here we share some secrets to aging gracefully, which are also the key to good health and wellness.

Manage stress

Stress is the greatest hurdle in our journey towards graceful aging. It causes us to age faster as we tend to resort to drinking, smoking and other unhealthy ways to deal with it. Stress also leads to health conditions and weight gain. So, it’s best to adopt healthy lifestyle habits to fight stress. Exercise, drink lots of water, and practice selfcare and gratitude to manage stress.

Adopt a balanced diet

A healthy, balanced diet helps to prevent age-related problems. Eat a diet rich in lean protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and fibres. A diet that includes ample fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that promote good health and improved immunity. It also prevents weight fluctuations that affects skin, and make us appear older. Balanced diet provides adequate nutrition, preventing health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other diseases. Besides, nutritious food aids in cognitive functions and provides energy to live an active life.

Get plenty of sleep

Nothing can compensate for a good night’s sleep. Most adults need 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily to feel and look good. Lack of sleep causes skin to look dull, lifeless and makes it appear older. The skin cells repair themselves at night as we sleep and delay the signs of aging. Besides, the body’s cortisol level - responsible for stress - gets adjusted during sleep; So, we feel rejuvenated when we wake up.

Engage in physical exercises

Move your body more often to slow down the aging process, keeping you young and fit. People who exercise regularly are more energetic, flexible and experience overall wellbeing. It’s not necessary to run marathons, just keep yourself active with some form of exercise for around 150 minutes per week will do the trick. Walking, jogging, dancing or yoga – find an exercise you love and stick to it.

Keep yourself hydrated

Water is vital for healthy functioning of human body. Keep your body hydrated as it helps in flushing out toxins, aids in digestion and even to lose weight. Water supports younger looking skin and prevents signs of aging by preventing fine lines, flaky skin and dryness. If drinking water is not your style, then snack on cucumbers, melons and grapes to stay hydrated. Even sipping on green tea and infused water helps to up your water intake.

Practice Mindfulness

Live in the present with full awareness of the moment. As we grow older things seem to happen faster, so living in the present moment is more important than ever. The past keeps playing on the mind and the future tends to cause worries, leading to distractions in the present. Take help of meditation and mindfulness to bring yourself back to the moment. Living fully in the present moment keeps you engaged, energetic and connected to people in your surround, which is more important than dwelling on the past or the future.

Be happy and joyful

Focus on being happy as it’s the easiest way to age gracefully. Do the things and activities that make you smile and brings joy. Life is full of ups-and-downs, but we can choose to move on after a stressful incident, and consciously decide to be happy with the ones we love.

The bottom line

The secret to aging gracefully is about accepting yourself as you grow older, staying healthy and being happy. It’s a process of adopting a healthy lifestyle, doing things you love and surrounding yourself with people who bring joy in your life.