Your skin is both tough and delicate, being sensitive to some things and able to stand up to others. For an organ this versatile, it makes sense that a diverse, healthy lifestyle is best for it. Here are some tips on how a healthy lifestyle can promote younger-looking skin.

1. Getting Enough Sleep

Getting at least eight hours of sleep a night is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle, and the amount of rest you get (or don’t get) each night does, according to experts, affect your skin. Haggard, baggy skin and under-eye circles may result from a lack of sleep.

Also, night-time is when skin heals and repairs itself. Forcing your skin to keep going without that crucial repair time may result in tired, weak skin cells that look aged. Weak skin cells are also less resistant to stresses such as sun exposure.

2. Stress Reduction

Many people lead a healthy lifestyle in order to help reduce stress. That may include Yoga, Pilates, meditation, or other methods to achieve peace within. Many health experts and even religious leaders point out that inner peace is reflected outwardly in the face. Stress has been known to cause “worry lines” and an overall tired look on the face.

3. Exercise

Have you ever noticed your face being flushed after a workout? Regular exercise is a part of a healthy lifestyle, and it promotes circulation all over the body, including the skin. Circulation is how the body removes toxins and delivers oxygen, and that’s important for healthy, young-looking skin.

4. Nutrition

Good nutrition is another vital part of being healthy. Some vitamins are specifically good for the skin, such as vitamins A, C, D and E. Some forms of vitamin D are actually manufactured in the skin in response to moderate sun exposure.

Taking a supplement may be necessary for some people to get enough of these key vitamins. But those who practice a healthy lifestyle usually adopt a well-balanced diet that includes lots of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which work together to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs.

Antioxidants and healthy fats and oils are also key components of a healthy lifestyle. Fish oil in the form of supplements or fatty fish (salmon, sardines and arctic char for example) provide some of these important fats that help strengthen cell membranes. Olive, canola, and flax oils are also important sources of healthy fats. Snacking on nuts and seeds is another way to get these key nutrients into your body and, ultimately, onto your skin.