Why everyone ages at different rates. The doctor explained

general practitioner

Who among us wouldn’t want to know how to stay young longer? And why do some people age faster than others?

In the TV series we watched a decade and a half ago, women hid their age by any means possible. For example, the main character of “My Fair Nanny” turned 29 for many seasons in a row. She was willing to make any sacrifice to avoid saying how old she really was. Many book and movie characters have done the same. Surely among your acquaintances there are such people – and both men and women.

However, there is nothing wrong with the aging process. Instead of denying it, you should prepare yourself and approach the issue responsibly. To begin with, let’s find out why some people retain their beauty and youth for many years, while others look older than their years from a young age.

Sun

Tan – it is, of course, beautiful. But “fry” in the sun for hours and specially visit tanning salons you will not advise any dermatologist. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation leads to the accumulation of photodamaged skin.

In small doses, the sun does contribute to the production of vitamin D. But when you spend all day at the beach on vacation or on weekends, excessive sun exposure prevents your skin from renewing itself. And the cells wear out: this manifests itself in loss of tone, dryness, dullness and sagging, wrinkles and age spots. In addition, the skin’s protective barrier is damaged, causing it to produce more sebum, which can cause inflammation and blackheads.

Not only do you need to apply and renew your sunscreen regularly (even in the city), but you also need to keep an eye on your care cosmetics. Many anti-aging creams and products for problem skin include retinol. Combine it with the sun is categorically impossible – such cosmetics can be applied only at night.

How to tan properly, so as not to harm the skin, read in the material at the link.

Genetics and ecology

Not all of us age in the same way. New Zealand scientists conducted a study within a control group of about 1000 men and women. They were all of the same age, born between 1972 and 1973.

After 12 years of research, the scientists concluded that in the age range from 26 to 38 years, some participants were at an equal biological pace in relation to each other – such were the majority. For others, a year followed three – the changes in their bodies were much faster. And the third, in fact, stopped aging, as if their biological age was put on pause.

For most young people, biological age coincides with chronological age (determined by the number of years lived). But genetic traits and environmental exposures can accelerate or slow aging, making the difference in health more noticeable over time.

Importantly, the greater the biological age, the worse the subjects performed on physical and mental tasks. “Rapidly aging” subjects showed worse balance and coordination and had more trouble passing the tests.

Lifestyle and chronic illnesses

The diseases and habits we hear about in every other article and advertisement fall into this category: obesity, sleep deprivation, stress, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.

Singaporean scientists found that people who systematically slept less than necessary, noted a decrease in cognitive activity. And their American colleagues found that in obese people age-related changes in brain cells come 10 years faster than in thinner peers.

Lack of oxygen, alcohol and drug poisoning, high blood pressure – all of these create an additional load on the brain, which accelerates its aging. The systematic damage we do to the body is not immediately apparent, but its long-term effects are almost impossible to reverse. That’s why it’s important to take care of your health from a young age. Read about what habits you need to get into when you are young, so that you can go to the doctor less often later, in the article at the link.