Here are 7 habits which harm your skin, speed up your skin’s aging process and make you look older than your age:

1) Lack of sleep

Needless to say: too little sleep makes you look and feel tired. It shows up on the face, with dark circles and bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Research has shown that while Margaret Thatcher famously slept only 4 hours a night, most adults function best with 8-9 hours. Everyone who works long hours will probably agree that 8-9 hours is almost impossible to achieve. Nevertheless, for a better sleep try to reduce caffeine during the day (with none in the evening), have dinner at least 2 hours before bedtime, and aim to go to bed at the same time each night. If you ever break your routine by going to bed late, try not to compensate by sleeping in the next day, this will help you find your routine again.

2) Cigarette Smoke

There is (at least) one good thing about the smoking ban which came into force last summer (UK) which ensures you a smokeless day at the office and a lunch break in “fresh air”: Whether you are a smoker, or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke harms your skin. Research has shown that cigarette smoke depletes your body of Vitamin C, which is a key ingredient for keeping your skin elastic and hydrated. The lack of Vitamin C significantly increases wrinkles and dryness.

3) Alcohol (ab)use

Alcohol speeds up the aging process of your skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin’s surface. Over a long period of time, these blood vessels become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the skin’s surface.

4) Stress

Do you get very stressed at work? Well, you should try not to show it! Stress and worry makes you frown, and after a while the muscles in your face conform to that movement. Try to keep your stress level down and as strange as it may sound, vary your facial expressions during the day. Meditation, yoga or other relaxation techniques might be helpful too.

5) Winter weather

April is upon us and even though (at least for our UK and Swiss readers – and most likely for everyone in between) it is hard to believe at the moment: warmer summer months are not far away. Thank God for that because cold winds and low temperatures as well as heated rooms contribute to aging skin by making skin dry, so make sure to use a good moisturizer at all times. You should also consider using a humidifier at home as well as at the office.

6) Lack of exercise

Exercise helps to tone your muscles and gets your blood flowing. It is the same old story: If you can’t face going to the gym try a regular short work-out at home everyday before you leave the house. You should try to become active in your office as well. If you have the chance, take the staircase and avoid lifts. Get off your seat and do the copying yourself instead of delegating it to others. Leave earlier and walk or cycle to and from work. In addition to the physical benefits, the benefits will show on your face. Having a bright smile and lots of energy will make you look younger, at any age.

7) Sun exposure

Too much sun exposure is very damaging to your skin. It becomes mottled in appearance and once charming freckles quickly degenerate into brown unattractive sun spots. The skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase. The risk of skin cancer is highly increased as a result of unprotected sun exposure. If you want to avoid aging skin but don’t want to avoid the sun, make sure you use sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher that protects you against both UVA and UVB rays. Remember that clouds do not necessarily protect you from ultraviolet ray exposure, so it might be an idea to use the sunscreen all year-round.

April is upon us and warmer summer months are not far away. But for most of us winter has already taken its toll and the lack of vitamins, magnesium and zinc over a prolonged period of time creates a “Springtime lethargy” Our bodies are literally doing a spring-clean, but for some of us that means being dogged by erratic mood swings, headaches, tiredness, lack of concentration, colds and aches, or even insomnia.

One way to counter these effects is to change your diet. Try to eat a lot of cereal products, pulses (beans, lentils & peas) as well as fruit and vegetables. Additionally, it might help you to start the day with a hot and cold shower, the alternating temperatures jolting your metabolism back into action and strengthening your body’s immune system.

More exercise will also help, if you can’t face going to the gym try a regular short work-out at home everyday before you leave the house. You should try to become active in your office as well. If you have the chance, take the staircase and avoid lifts. Get off your seat and do the copying yourself instead of delegating it to others. Leave earlier and walk or cycle to and from work. You will quickly notice the benefits.

The body tends to dry out in the first few months of the year because of the increased use of radiators. You should have a bottle of water on your desk at all times and drink at least 2 litres a day. Get up every now and then and change position. During your lunch-break you could take a walk in the fresh air and sun. (UK readers please note this might not be possible)

Last but not least get rid off your grey, dull winter clothes. Light colours stimulate your senses, the body produces serotonin and you will simply feel much happier all round.