There have been tips and tricks for how to slow aging for all of human history. People have been cooking up skincare products, eating specific foods, and searching for a fountain of youth for as long as we have existed.
What sets modern science apart is results. We can test and measure ways in which the body ages, and we’re starting to know more about how to slow down aging.
Modern science looks at how each part of the body changes as we age. Then, we try to understand what makes negative changes happen more quickly, and how we can prevent them.
Today, there are a handful of lifestyle changes you can make that are proven to slow down aging.
Is it possible to slow aging?
If science has proven tricks for how to slow aging, that must mean it’s possible, right? Yes and no.
Aging is a totally natural, inevitable part of life. When you’re 50, you probably won’t feel the way you did at 21, but you aren’t doomed to feel like a sore, creaky, old geezer, either.
Anything with strong evidence that it can slow down aging doesn’t prevent or reverse aging, but it does help reduce the negative effects of aging.
There’s also no known age at which these things stop being effective. The tips that science offers for slowing aging are most effective when you start young and continue them throughout your life, but it’s never too late to start!
What speeds up aging the most?
Lifestyle choices are the biggest factor in how fast we age. Genetics can play a role, but how to slow aging is all about lifestyle, even if you genetically inherit some health problems.
Things like stress, financial standing, and our relationships can all play a role in how we age. And heart health is one of the single largest factors in aging.
Heart problems and aging go hand in hand. In fact, it’s unclear if aging worsens heart problems or if heart problems speed up aging. The two are so tightly interlinked that how to slow aging and heart health becomes a “chicken and the egg” question.
The other thing that can speed up aging is nutrient deficiencies. Collagen deficiency, in particular, can impact your heart health and overall health and can speed up visible aging due to collagen’s impact on the skin.
If you’re already feeling your age (or older), don’t worry. There are plenty of changes you can make in your life to help slow aging. Making a plan for how to slow aging is nuanced since everyone’s health needs are different.
Some people might benefit from memory loss supplements to slow mental aging, while others will need to focus on exercise to help their joints feel young again.
Let’s discuss 10 proven ways to slow your natural aging down.
10 proven ways to slow down aging
While you’re putting together your own healthcare plan, keep your eyes peeled. There are plenty of “how to slow down aging” tricks out there that are scams, old wives’ tales, or just plain don’t work.
Make sure anything you do to slow aging has research to back it up, and always ask a licensed medical professional for guidance if you’re unsure.
1. Visit your doctor
The very first thing you can do to help slow aging is pop into your doctor’s office to talk about your concerns. In rare cases, aging quickly can be a sign of other, more serious health disorders.
Your doctor may also be able to point out specific health needs that should be addressed as part of your plan for how to slow aging.
2. Quit smoking
Smoking is terrible for your overall health, and it can be a huge contributor to aging quickly. Tobacco’s impact on your heart, lungs, and skin can leave you looking and feeling older before your time.
When you decide to quit smoking, your heart health begins to improve in just 24 hours after you quit. After 1 year, your risk of heart disease decreases by half.
When it comes to how to slow aging, quitting is one of the best possible things you can do. Quitting isn’t easy, especially if you’ve been smoking for a long time. But it is possible, and there are dozens of resources out there to help.
Talk to your doctor to explore medications that can help, and reach out to family and friends for moral support. You can do this!
3. Stay active
When you hear that exercise is a big part of how to slow aging, what do you picture?
Miserable workouts in a sweaty gym?
A weekly cycling class?
Signing up for a marathon?
Those can all be ways to stay active, sure, but they aren’t the only ways. For people who experience chronic joint pain, those things are usually out of reach, but you can still stay active.
Exercise can slow aging by improving your heart health, increasing your oxygen intake, and keeping your body engaged. People who are seeking knee joint pain relief can stay active by choosing low-impact aerobic workouts like walking, swimming, or yoga.
4. Keep a consistent sleep schedule
Keeping your body moving is important, but so is rest. Sleep is a key part of how to slow aging in your body and brain.
A consistent sleep schedule plays a role in how to improve your memory and cardiovascular health, to name just a couple of benefits.
Sleep gives your body a chance to recover. Your heart rate slows, your brain can rest and process events from your day, and your body can focus on healing and repairing itself.
You may have health problems like insomnia or sleep apnea that cause difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting into deep sleep. If you notice these problems or feel tired after a full night’s rest, reach out to your doctor. They can help you treat your sleep problems so you can get a good night’s rest and slow down aging.
5. Pick heart-healthy foods
What we eat matters, and while you don’t have to cut out sweets or “junk food” entirely, they shouldn’t be the only thing you reach for.
Heart-healthy foods like leafy greens, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains deserve a place in your daily routine, too! After all, heart health is one of the most important parts of how to slow aging.
These foods are also part of the longevity diet – a set of dietary guidelines created by a biochemist to help you feel better and live longer.
When it comes to how to slow aging using the foods you eat, make sure you focus on fresh foods and limit your meat and dairy consumption. The “bad fat” content of these foods tends to be higher, so it can worsen other health issues, making you age faster.
6. Look out for your weight
Weight is a sensitive subject for many people. You can be overweight and healthy, but being severely overweight can cause or worsen health issues, leading you to feel older than you are.
Remember, heart health is one of the biggest factors in how to slow aging, and people who are overweight or obese frequently have poor heart health.
Staying active and choosing heart-healthy food options can decrease your risk of weight-related health problems, but it’s still a good thing to keep an eye on.
Suddenly losing a significant amount of weight, especially if you aren’t trying, can also be a sign of health problems. Your healthcare team may even recommend a plan to gain weight if you’re dealing with severe weight loss.
7. Watch your blood pressure
No matter how old you are, high blood pressure can speed mental aging. Watching your blood pressure and taking steps to reduce it is especially important as you get older.
As the body ages, normal changes in your cardiovascular system cause your blood pressure to rise. Taking steps to combat these changes is an important part of how to slow down aging.
On average, you’ll want to get your blood pressure tested every 2 to 5 years until you turn 40. When you turn 40, get tested every year or at your doctor’s recommendation.
If you’re prescribed medication to lower your blood pressure, be sure to take it as prescribed in addition to making other plans for how to slow aging.
8. Regulate your cholesterol
High cholesterol, like high blood pressure, is often a normal part of aging. And, like blood pressure, you can take steps to combat high cholesterol, including dietary changes, exercise, and medications as part of your strategy for how to slow aging.
There are two types of cholesterol – LDL and HDL.
LDL is “bad” cholesterol, and it’s usually what people mean when they talk about “high cholesterol”. High LDL levels can cause a buildup of plaque in your cardiovascular system, and can be caused by a diet high in trans fats.
HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is “good” cholesterol, and can help your body clear the “bad” cholesterol. High HDL levels have been linked to lower risks of heart disease and stroke. Heart-healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, and plenty of fiber can help increase your HDL levels.
9. Test your blood sugar
High blood sugar levels can cause a whole host of problems, making it a central part of how to slow aging. To start with, high blood sugar can cause serious health concerns like type two diabetes, which severely impacts your heart and brain health.
On top of problems like type two diabetes or prediabetes, high blood sugar levels cause your skin to age faster. High blood sugar levels alter the way collagen in your skin binds together, which makes your skin look older than it is.
Getting your blood sugar levels tested regularly can help you spot these problems early. Then, you can make choices for how to slow aging that take your blood sugar levels into account.
10. Boost overall nutrition with a supplement
Keeping to a healthy diet isn’t always easy or even possible, no matter which steps you’re trying to take. Malnutrition risk increases as we age, with causes ranging from low appetite to longstanding illnesses.
Taking supplements can help fill in the gaps in your diet, especially if there aren’t many foods that seem appealing. One of the most important things to supplement as we age is protein, particularly collagen.
The benefits of taking collagen can impact your entire body because collagen is the most common protein in the body. Your brain, heart, skin, bones, and organs all have a high collagen content, but the amount of collagen your body naturally produces slows down when you age.
A general supplement is good, but when it comes to how to slow aging, collagen packs an even bigger punch.
Taking a collagen supplement combats collagen deficiency, especially when it’s a hydrolyzed collagen supplement.
Naturally occurring collagen that you can get from food is a very large molecule. This makes it hard for your body to absorb, meaning most of it passes through your system undigested. Hydrolyzed collagen is broken down for easy absorption, so you can reap the full benefits of your supplement.
How to slow aging in your body and mind
Aging is a natural, beautiful part of life, but no one wants to feel old before their time. And as you do age, you owe it to yourself to make sure that you’re aging healthily, so you can enjoy your golden years.
Incorporating more heart-healthy habits is a cornerstone of how to slow aging, and keeping in touch with your healthcare team can help you pinpoint what will slow down aging the most for you.
When it comes to how to slow down aging, nutrition is just as important as anything else. Nutrition plays a huge role in heart health, weight, and the way that we age. A hydrolyzed collagen protein supplement can help you combat deficiencies and keep your body strong, even as you age.
