The Worst Lifestyle Habits That Could Be Damaging Your Skin

You might not realize it, but your daily habits could be harming your skin instead of helping it look its best. Are you guilty of the following unhealthy habits?

Regularly Skipping Sleep

We're all guilty of missing sleep once in awhile, but if it's becoming a regular habit you're harming your skin. When you sleep, your skin cells regenerate, helping your skin to heal and look healthy. Sleeping is also tied to relaxation, which is a must for healthy skin. If you're not sleeping, you become stressed, which boosts cortisol in the body. This hormone increases the body's production of oil, causing oily skin that's prone to breakouts.

Get enough sleep - aim for eight hours every night - and if you struggle to sleep, make sure you follow some tips to encourage snooze time. This can include having comfortable bedding and pillows, sleeping in a dark room where there aren't sounds or light to keep you awake, and avoiding the use of technological gadgets before bedtime.

Going to Sleep With Your Makeup On

This is bad for a number of reasons. It can lead to clogged pores, breakouts, and skin infections from bacteria that seep into makeup and end up on your skin or in your eyes. It really doesn't take long for bacteria to enter makeup - it happens while you're wearing it - so you really want to remove it from your skin by the end of the day.

Keep your makeup remover on your nightstand to remind you to remove your makeup every single night to prevent a variety of skin problems.

Drinking Too Much Coffee

If you rely on coffee to get you through a busy work day, bear in mind that caffeine is drying out your skin . This not only leads to a dull complexion, but it also makes any lines or wrinkles on your face look more pronounced.

Switch to alternative beverages that are more hydrating to your skin, such as chamomile tea. Although green tea is beneficial to skin with its anti-ageing compounds, it does contain caffeine so its consumption should be limited.

Eating Too Much Sugar

If you're a woman, you're only supposed to have six teaspoons of sugar every day - and this amount includes hidden sugars. Sugar is best limited or completely removed from your diet because it is so harmful to the skin. Glycation is to blame . When sugar enters your blood, it sticks to proteins to form molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These destroy the skin's elastin and collagen structures, both of which are responsible for firm, youthful skin.

Missing Spots When Applying Sunscreen

You apply sunscreen whenever you step outside, but are you doing it properly? Chances are you're missing some important parts of your face without even realizing it. This puts your skin at major risk of discoloration, wrinkles and skin cancer from the harmful UV rays . Areas of your face that are commonly missed include your hairline, ears, tip of your nose and jawline.

Make sure you take your time to apply sunscreen carefully to prevent missing any spots and don't rely on the SPF in makeup products as these are not at a level high enough to protect you against the sun's damaging effects.

Your skin health is not only dependent on the use of healthy skincare products and a good diet - your lifestyle plays a huge role in the state of your skin. By avoiding skin saboteurs such as the above, you can allow your natural beauty to shine through every day.

About the author:

Mark Kirkpatrick is a blogger and tech enthusiast in Los Angeles, California. He has found that productivity starts with healthy habits and hopes to help others achieve their goals through positive reinforcement.