Being a young woman in her 20s means a lot of change. You might graduate from college, start your first full-time job, live on your own and experience other things that feel like you’re spinning plates in the air. Thinking about something like aging gracefully can seem like a frivolous plate to add to the mix.
You may be waiting for your life to settle down before thinking about maintaining your health, but these tips can help you prioritize yourself now for aging gracefully throughout your life. Get inspired by healthy habits to create the best lifestyle for your unique needs and interests.
Age Gracefully with Ease
Although some habits people suggest can be super involved, let’s be realistic. The most helpful habits have to be simple to start, easy to continue, and personally rewarding. Fortunately, the following habits are very doable and if they still feel overwhelming, they can always be broken down into smaller actions.
1. Get Annual Checkups
You should schedule an annual check up appointment with your doctor if it’s financially feasible. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends regular checkups. These can include receiving regular vaccinations, checking your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and getting any necessary blood tests.
Your physician will likely run standard bloodwork tests and ask questions about your current medical concerns before conducting a basic physical exam. In this way, anything abnormal that arises can be better addressed and resolved.
The appointment is an excellent opportunity to discuss any concerns you might have, especially if you have an ongoing focus on improving your health. Your doctor could also recommend other preventive measures, like scheduling a Pap smear or other important screenings.
2. Find a Fulfilling Job
You may feel like you’re trying to make it through the day during this decade. Paying the bills is important, but pursuing a career that you love can also support your mental health.
Consider what you enjoy about your current job and think about what makes you happiest. How can you focus your career on your strengths and what fills your cup the most? Finding a career path that combines your joy and a sense of purpose could be the best thing for your mental health long-term.
3. Try a Creative Hobby
Many women may feel considerable pressure in their 20s. You may have big dreams about achieving a fantastic job, getting married and starting a family in the same decade. Remember to take breaks for hobbies while pursuing your goals.
Finding a creative hobby can provide your mind with an outlet to destress and help you reconnect with yourself, especially when things get overwhelming. This level of self-connection and care means you are elevating your ability to age gracefully.
4. Volunteer With a Local Organization
Give back to your community if you have some free time. Volunteering helps people build a sense of community that can also ground you during difficult times. Call and ask local businesses if they’ll accept volunteers. You’ll meet new friends, develop your passions and learn more about yourself while helping others.
5. Set Healthy Boundaries for Graceful Aging
You’ll make friends throughout your life, but you might feel most social during your 20s. Use this decade to become confident in your boundary-setting abilities. These skills are essential for showing people how to treat you, ensuring your relationships remain healthy.
Practice saying no or vocalizing your feelings when someone does something that makes you uncomfortable. The habit may be more challenging in person, but functional relationships are built on mutual respect that grows as you learn how to treat each other.
6. Keep an Open Mind
If you’re trying to get through college or just walked across the graduation stage, the idea of lifelong learning might sound exhausting. Take a break if you need to, but continue to cultivate your curiosity, even if just a little bit every day.
Retaining a desire to learn will help you adapt over the coming decades. You’ll develop better ways to stay healthy, nurture relationships and achieve any goal if you keep an open, curious perspective. As you do this aging gracefully comes more naturally to you.
7. Wear Sunscreen Daily
Young women often feel pressured to achieve specific beauty standards, like tanning. Even if you enjoy the practice, it’s essential to wear sunscreen every day. Experts at Johns Hopkins agree that wearing sunscreen prevents premature aging by blocking ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.
You could prevent issues like wrinkles and age spots by wearing a daily sunscreen. If you want to keep your tan, consider applying liquid tanner rather than risking your skin’s health.
8. Get Tested as Needed
Health tests exist to keep you healthy and informed. Remember to schedule appointments for them as needed, even if you feel invincible during this stage of life. Always get STD testing after spending the night with someone. If your throat hurts, schedule a strep throat test.
If you receive positive test results, you’ll know how to care for your body to help it recover. Getting tested is a simple step that’s easy to overlook, but it will help you take the best care of yourself before and after potentially contracting illnesses or diseases.
9. Customize Your Bedtime Routine for Aging Gracefully
Developing a bedtime routine might sound like something for children, but it’s important in your 20s, too. Your brain needs a good night’s rest to do its job and help you wake up with energy. Think about what relaxes you the most and design a routine around it.
You might spend the evening reading in dimmed lighting or listening to calming music while string lights glow around your evening bath. You’ll turn every night into a self-care opportunity that supports your long-term health by fostering better rest.
10. Drink More Water
Remember to grab a bottle of water the next time you’re looking for a beverage at a convenience store. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic recommend that women drink 11.5 cups of fluids daily, including water intake from foods.
You could also opt for hydrating drinks like herbal teas to continue enjoying flavorful beverages without sacrificing the essential water intake that supports your bodily functions as you age. Practicing this habit keeps your body functioning consistently and efficiently which, in turn, supports aging gracefully.
11. Do Occasional Walks
Daily exercise is a great goal, but it’s not always attainable. Consider taking walks throughout your week to maintain your long-term health if you already engage in regular physical activity. Walking is an easy way to raise your heart rate without paying for a costly gym membership or doing a workout that makes you miserable.
Walks are great times to listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook and spend time learning. You could also create a walking playlist and modify it with your favorite seasonal music or the latest hits. Even if you chat with a friend over the phone, your body will benefit from regular exercise.
12. Apply Face Lotion as Part of Aging Gracefully
Your body may feel different during this decade because your hormone levels change as you age. Applying face lotion can help. A hydrating formula can help prevent age-related dryness that many people experience.
Some formulas could also target developing wrinkles for people with premature signs of aging. Everyone’s skin is different, so don’t be afraid to try new things during this time.
13. Watch for Added Sugars
People sometimes get more health-conscious about sugar as they age. You could spend these next few years balancing your typical sugar intake. Added sugars are often found in many food products because they enhance flavor and help preserve the final product. Unfortunately, they also affect your health.
Eating too many foods with added sugars increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, dental issues and obesity. If you swap occasional pantry staples with no-added-sugar alternatives, you’ll reduce your intake without feeling restricted from your favorite meals.
14. Start the Day With Stretching
When you get close to the middle to end of your 20s, you may notice that your body doesn’t bend like it used to. While that’s a regular part of aging, you can avoid stiff muscles by stretching after waking up.
Take a few minutes to stretch your arms and legs. You’ll experience fewer aches and cramps each year if you maintain elasticity through regular stretching sessions. Try following along with a YouTube video if you’re unsure where to start.
15. Reflect on Your Relationships
Checking in on your relationships is a great habit to start in early adulthood. Think about your platonic and romantic connections once or twice a year. Ask if those people replenish your spirit when you spend time with them.
If they cause you more stress or anguish than anything else, you can move on from those relationships. Life is too short to spend time with people who aren’t good for you, especially as you’re starting your adult life.
16. Reduce Your Plastic Exposure to Improve Graceful Aging
The long, healthy life you want may not be as attainable if your body is filled with plastic. A group of chemicals known as PFAS is in everything from clothes to food packaging and creates forever-chemical waste. They’ll even linger in your bloodstream if they’re present in your diet.
While you can’t get rid of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, you might enjoy swapping plastic for other materials to minimize your exposure. Look at the items around your home to see what can change. You can keep your spices in glass jars or use stainless steel straws, making it less likely that forever chemicals will cause adverse health effects when you’re older.
17. Jump Into Strength Training
Muscles weaken as they age. Although you’re a long way from retirement, you can keep your muscles strong by starting strength training in your 20s. Get a set of weights and try lifting them during commercial breaks while relaxing at home.
They can be light if you’re just starting out — try one or three pounds before working your way up. You’ll develop a weightlifting routine that works with your unique schedule and empowers you. Down the road you’ll be glad you started this habit as you see the results in graceful aging.
18. Schedule a Therapy Appointment
While annual checkups with your doctor are beneficial for your body, therapy appointments help your mind. Try scheduling an appointment if you haven’t tried it before. You don’t need to have experienced severe trauma to benefit from talking with a licensed mental health professional.
They’ll help you figure out relationship issues, self-esteem complications and general life questions as you grow up. If you like your therapist, you can even continue the appointments for long-term mental health support. It’s much easier to age with grace if you feel confident in yourself and your ability to interact with others with the tools you got from therapy.
19. Practice Better Posture for Aging Gracefully
The muscle strain people might feel in their mid-to-late 20s doesn’t always resolve with morning stretching. If you feel physically tense in the evenings, it might come from your posture. Slouching is easy to do at a desk all day. You might also bend your lower back to pick up heavy objects rather than your knees.
Honing your posture could reduce muscle strain. Think about what you do during the day and how you hold your body to determine when you need the most posture support.
Depending on the situation, tools might be available to help. Someone who drives all day could support their posture with a lumbar pillow that fits in their driver’s seat. The best solution depends on your routine.
20. Enjoy More Antioxidants
Antioxidants are natural compounds found in whole foods and certain supplements. If you adjust your diet in early adulthood, you may enjoy more nutritious foods that supply extra nutrients to your body.
Antioxidants can improve your anxiety and depression symptoms by reducing your body’s oxidative stress levels. They support your comprehensive health, so the compounds might be worth your focus if you’re ready to refine your diet.
21. Improve Your Cleaning Schedule
Household chores can be stressful, especially when you have a busy schedule. If you’ve spent your teens and early 20s procrastinating around the house, think about developing better long-term cleaning habits. The pink mildew in your shower and the dust on your ceiling fan are more than eyesores — they’re also full of microorganisms that could make you sick.
Add recurring reminders to your to-do list so chores feel more manageable. Ongoing household maintenance like replacing your air filters or scrubbing your floors will feel easier with automated reminders that prevent you from having to deep clean again.
22. Buy From Local Farms as Part of Aging Gracefully
Your first years as an adult are a great time to develop shopping habits that align with your values. Use your newfound freedom to explore local farms and their fresh produce. You might love supporting small businesses and gaining more of an understanding about your diet.
You can get to know each farmer and understand how they grow their food, like which pesticides and fertilizers they avoid. If you are interested in limiting your exposure to agricultural chemicals and reducing your carbon footprint, consider shopping for produce locally.
Final Thoughts on New Healthy Habits for Aging Gracefully
The first decade of adulthood is an excellent time to try new things. When you feel like you’re ready to explore different habits, see which lifestyle changes could fit your routine.
You can spend the next 10 years building a lifestyle that will support you in your 30s and beyond. If you don’t overwhelm your system with too many new things at once, you’ll discover which habits work for you and feel confident about sticking with them as you age.
About the Author
Mia Barnes is a freelance health and lifestyle writer from the East Coast. Mia is also the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Body+Mind Magazine. She enjoys writing about topics related to self-care, mindful living, and overall wellness. When not writing, you can find Mia reading romance novels, trying new recipes or practicing yoga.
Website: www.bodymind.com/