10 surprising things that age you

Watching TV

While we all know that spending hours in front of the television is bad for your waistline, you may not know that it can also shorten your lifespan. Researchers from the University of Queensland found that for every hour you watch TV you may shorten your life by as much 22 minutes. Furthermore, research has suggested that watching TV could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Drinking from bottles and through straws

You probably know that what you drink can affect your looks, but you may be surprised to hear thathow you drink can also influence how well you age. In fact, sucking on straws and drinking out of sports bottles causes the same pursing action – and therefore the same fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth – as smoking. Try drinking directly from the glass whenever you can to help keep the wrinkles at bay.

Too little (or too much) exercise

 The benefits of exercise are immeasurable for keeping you looking and feeling young. Not only does a lack of exercise shorten your life and increase risk of obesity and heart disease, but exercise can also keep your brain young by protecting against Alzheimer’s, boosting your mood and leaving you feeling alert and energized. Furthermore, increased blood flow to your skin can help keep your complexion clear, bright and youthful-looking. On the flipside, while we should all make an effort to stay active, too much exercise can cause stiffness in joints and increase risk of arthritis.

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