"You Didn’t Know While You Were Enjoying It"—The Happier You Are, the Faster You Age: 4 Worst Aging Habits [Smart Wellness]

[Financial News] Beyond simply living longer, “how to age young and healthy” has emerged as a major topic. In the past, efforts focused on “anti-aging,” which sought to conceal the signs of aging. More recently, “longevity” and “slow-aging” lifestyles, which aim to delay cellular aging and maximize healthspan, have gained strong support.
Before seeking expensive anti-aging technologies, however, there is one fact that must be faced. No cutting-edge technology can work if the “wrong habits” repeated in daily life accumulate. The foundation of slow aging is to begin by “not doing what you should not do.”

People generally think that consuming too many refined carbohydrates, such as sweet drinks, bread, rice cakes and noodles, causes weight gain. Such eating habits do more than add pounds—they also reduce skin elasticity. When refined carbohydrates are consumed in excess, surplus sugar circulates in the bloodstream. As it binds with proteins to form Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs), collagen and elastin fibers that maintain skin elasticity become stiff and damaged.
It is easy to imagine the body’s tissues being “pickled in sugar” and losing their natural flexibility. Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs), also called glycotoxins, accelerate aging throughout the body’s blood vessels and deepen skin wrinkles. To prevent this, people should reduce their intake of refined carbohydrates and make an effort to build a diet centered on whole grains and fresh vegetables.

Many people go through the day without drinking even a single glass of water, quenching their thirst with coffee or energy drinks instead. Caffeine, however, promotes diuresis in the kidneys, causing water to leave the body more quickly. When the body remains in a state of “chronic dehydration,” in which it is continuously short of water, cell membranes become less fluid, while communication between cells and waste removal deteriorate.
This goes beyond a simple feeling of tightness on the skin’s surface. It can disrupt the hyaluronic acid structure that retains moisture in the dermis, leading to fine lines and sagging skin. Before feeling thirsty, drink plain lukewarm water regularly to maintain a stable fluid balance—the foundation of healthy skin and blood vessels.
Alcohol and tobacco cause even more serious problems. Alcohol promotes diuresis, depleting moisture from skin cells and destroying vitamin A, an antioxidant. Nicotine in tobacco sharply constricts small blood vessels, physically blocking the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the skin.
The dry, rough skin and more visible fine lines seen the day after drinking are not merely a matter of perception. They are actual signs of aging caused by cellular dehydration and a surge in free radicals. Drinking and smoking in the name of relieving stress only accelerate cellular senescence.

It is widely known that ultraviolet rays are a decisive cause of skin aging, yet many people do not apply sunscreen on cloudy days or even indoors. Skin damage caused by ultraviolet rays, however, does not stop when the sky is overcast.
Unlike ultraviolet B (UVB), which causes burns and pigmentation disorders in the epidermis, ultraviolet A (UVA) penetrates deep into the dermis and breaks down elastic fibers. It can easily pass through heavy clouds and ordinary window glass. According to dermatology experts, about 80% of facial aging results not from natural aging but from ultraviolet-induced photoaging. Applying sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 and a Protection Grade of UVA (PA) of at least PA++ is essential not only on clear days but also on cloudy days and while indoors.
During periods of prolonged ultraviolet exposure or severe skin damage, you should pay more attention than usual to “sleeping well.” The key isto sleep “regularly” and “deeply,” rather than simply sleeping “for a long time.”Growth hormone, which repairs damaged cells, and melatonin, a powerful antioxidant produced in the body, are secreted intensively during a stable circadian rhythm and deep stages of sleep. When sleep rhythms are disrupted and shallow sleep is repeated, the skin barrier’s repair process slows markedly, causing it to lose opportunities for regeneration. A regular routine of going to bed and waking up at the same times every day is, in effect, the most powerful natural regenerative cream.

[email protected] Kim Hyun-seon Reporter