9 Things People Aging Gracefully Do

Differently

There's nothing less attractive than someone desperately clinging to the last remnants of their youth. We think it's far

sexier to be comfortable in your own skin.

Even the biggest post-50 heartthrob George Clooney hasspoken about the importance of embracing each extra candleon your birthday cake. "I'm a big believer in the idea that youcan't try to look younger. You just have to try to look the bestyou can at the age you are," he said in a recent interview. Andhe has the salt-and-pepper hair to prove it.

Taking a leaf from Clooney's book, here are some of the littlethings that people aging gracefully all have in common.

1. They work out to get strong, not skinny.

Cardio is good but strength training is a must, especially as you age.As early as in our 30s, we start to lose muscle mass, up to 5 percentper decade, if we don't work to maintain and build it. In fact,according to Ken Kim, an internal medicine specialist, after age 45we lose 1 percent every year. That can add up.

Strength and resistance training to build muscle not only countersthat, it can help you stay strong and independent as you age so youcan keep up with your day-to-day activities.

2. They stress less.

Numerous studies have shown that stress, whether it's from work orfamily, can cause aging on a cellular level -- maybe even causing youto age a decade faster. On the outside, stress can cause sleeplessnights (dark circles), skin dehydration and even hair loss in extremecases. So take a moment and breathe. Your golden years are to beenjoyed.

3. They've let go of regrets and grudges.

You can't move on to the future when you'restuck looking back at the past. Learn fromyour mistakes rather than replaying them inyour head. As the Zen proverb says, "Let go orbe dragged.“

Consider meditating. Try this morningmeditation routine and start your morningwith a cup of coffee and a little mindfulnessto help you live in the moment.

4. They learn something new every day.Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Stay curious. Try somethingdifferent. All of these things help break you out of your monotonousroutine and can help you get out of a rut. Plus, learning somethingnew can give you confidence. One study showed that older adults whotook up a new activity for three months showed considerableimprovements in memory compared with those who only engaged infamiliar activities.

5. They don't overdo it with the makeup.

We're all for dressing up and putting on a bit ofmakeup. But don't be tempted to overdo it. Thekey is to enhance what you've got rather thanpiling on layers of foundation to cover up whatyou don't like.

Too much makeup will end up looking mask-likeand unnatural, sapping your natural glow andeventually settling in to and accentuating finelines and wrinkles. Here are some of our bestmakeup tips for older women.

6. They stay positive.Complaining about old age won't make you any younger. Instead, choosingpositive thoughts can bring a number of benefits including better copingskills, a better immune system and even a longer life. Yes, that's right. A studyof nearly 100,000 women over 50 found that optimists had a 14 percent lowerrisk of death in the study follow-up and were 30 percent less likely to die fromcoronary heart disease than their pessimistic peers. Another study found thateven in people with heart disease, those who stayed positive were 58 percentmore likely to survive an additional five years. Now start seeing that glass ashalf full.

7. They get enough sleep.

It may be harder to fall asleep and stay asleepwith age. But aim to make sleep a priorityanyway. Mireille Guiliano, author of "FrenchWomen Don't Get Facelifts," counts sleep asone of the essentials of aging gracefully."Don’t underestimate the power of sleep onyour skin, hair, energy, balance, and mood,"she tells Parade, adding that eight hours andno less should be the goal. "Make sure yourbedroom is not a place for work or televisiona half hour before you should be asleep, andthat it is well ventilated. At night it must bedark and quiet. Investing in a good mattressand pillows also matters. The French averagenine hours of sleep a night -- and that makesme smile." Oui.

8. They eat and drink to their health.

The idea that you are what you eat is definitely true, especially as you age.Earlier this year Huff/Post50 spoke with dermatologist Patricia Farris tolearn what changes we need to take with our diets as we age. Farrisstressed the importance of getting vitamins from foods we eat ratherthan just supplements. She said it's never too late to beef up your dietwith enriching foods to ward off further aging. Make sure you're eating arainbow of foods, rich especially in Vitamins A, C, E, D and K.

9. They embrace their changing looks.

George Clooney has said he won't be dyeing his hair anytimesoon. He even added that going to such measures cansometimes make you look worse. We're all for ditching thedye if you're comfortable with it. Instead of covering up yourgrays, here's a simple idea. Draw attention to your hairstylerather than color with a new cut.

Simple tricks like adding layers, bangs, and volume cancompletely transform your look. Besides, there's nothingmore aging than rocking the same hairstyle you had in the'80s. Here are some recommendations.

Article Source: HuffingtonPost.ComImage Source: MyBotique.Com.AU