Lifestyle
Lifestyle - Active / Sedentary / Combination
Active
If you have an active outdoor lifestyle, you spend a good number of hours where you’re likely to sweat more and spend more time exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Being active is good for you, but leaving your skin unprotected for long periods of time isn’t. It can cause long-term damage to your skin. Luckily, there are easy things an outdoor athlete or weekend warrior can do to prevent skin damage from happening before it starts.
Before you step outside, use a broad-spectrum water- and sweat-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 15 on all exposed parts of the body. Stay out of the sun during peak shine time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., if you can; though, even a cloudy day sprays rays. If you live or play in a windy climate, cover your skin completely to protect it from the harmful elements and excessive dirt that can clog your skin pores.
Sometimes, you’re just going to be out and about in the sun during that peak time. Make, “Pass the sunscreen, please,” your mantra. Wear a hat made from light fabric or straw that shades your face. Go to shady spots as often as possible, and hydrate!
Sedentary
A sedentary lifestyle contributes to aging skin. It’s important to have a level of activity in your day so you avoid skin sections turning darker because of poor or decreased circulation. An active you mean active circulation. Not moving around enough can also cause sagging skin and dimpling, known as cellulite, which is best removed by daily, vigorous activity.
Fortunately, aging signs that result from a sedentary lifestyle can be eliminated quickly by starting an exercise program. Exercise increases circulation, and tightens and firms areas that have been neglected because of not enough activity. If you don’t move it, you loose it.
Combination
Do you have a combination lifestyle—you’re not completely inactive, but you’re not especially active either? Life balance for you may mean you relax and rest when you’re tired and go outdoors for activities when it’s necessary. The best way to keep your skin healthy, if you prefer a combo mambo, is to prepare for changes in the new environment or in the level of your activities.
Let’s say you’re planning your next vacation. You choose a place where you intend to venture out for most of the day into a hotter, drier climate than you’re used to. Sunscreen is as necessary as that bottle of water you carry, and you need to apply the sunscreen as often as recommended. It’s even better if your sunscreen is also a moisturizer, or the other way around.
