By Dr. Heather Hawthorne

Every phase of your life from your 20s to your 60s and beyond is different. You may be starting out your career in your 20s, thinking of a family in your 30s, and quite possibly retired in your 60s.

No matter what age you are, incorporating healthy habits in your day-to-day life can make a huge difference in the long-term. As we age, every decision we make builds upon one another. What habits you decide to start today will only create a better tomorrow.

Exercise for 30 minutes every day.
Even 30 minutes of exercise can do a lot to improve your mental and physical health. By exercise, I mean elevating your heart rate where it’s hard to sing a song, but you can still carry a conversation. You could take a vigorous walk, take a class, or dance in your living room.

Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep.
Sleep is restorative, and good sleep habits stick with you. By giving your mind and body the rest it needs, it can help you achieve a healthy weight and help you feel much better. Mentally, it also gives your brain the opportunity to recharge so you feel rejuvenated.

Quit smoking
At any age, it’s a good idea to quit smoking. Smoking can create issues for your health and put you at risk for bigger issues down the line like lung cancer.

Take good care of your skin.
Your skin is your largest organ, and taking care of it by wearing sunscreen every day can help prevent skin issues you may want to avoid– including early signs of aging like wrinkles or, in the extreme case, skin cancer.

Prioritize your mental health.
There is definitely a link to our mental health and how we physically feel, and our mood can sometimes impact even how our gut digests.

Chat with your doctor at least once a year.
Your physician is your partner in health, and checking in even if you don’t feel like anything is wrong is a great way for them to keep you informed of other things that will keep you healthy. Sometimes there may things that you may have overlooked, and having a consistent checkup means that they will be able to help take care of you.

There are also specific things that you could be thinking about during each decade of your life. There are things that you can do at every stage to take care of your mental and physical wellbeing. Everything you do in each decade of your life is “additive” – which means that whatever you do in your 20s will impact your 30s, your 40s, and beyond.

20s: Get a head start with good habits now

• Keep your drinking to a moderate amount. More than one serving of alcohol every single day (one glass of alcohol, one beer) is too much. You’re at risk for a lot more diseases later in your life. Binge drinking, or more than three drinks in one occasion, is also very hard on your body.
• Your 20s is an age is when you’re very fertile. If you’re planning to get pregnant, start taking prenatal vitamins and folic acid. It’s best to get 400-800 mcg of folic acid because this helps with the neural tube development of the baby. For many women, by the time they find out they are pregnant, the neural tube has already developed. If you do not want to get pregnant, talk to your doctor about birth control options.
  
• Get started on a healthy skincare regimen. Wearing sunscreen everyday is incredibly important to protect your skin. This is also a great time to get ahead of any issues like adult acne. Getting a jumpstart can help prevent future problems like scarring.
  
• Start discussing your family history. Your family history is a great indicator for what you might be at risk for because some conditions are hereditary. As your relatives age, they may also be diagnosed with new conditions. Having a discussion with your doctor about your evolving family’s health means that he or she can keep an eye out for anything that you might be predisposed toward.
  
• You could be at a higher risk for urinary tract infections. Some women in their 20s are at higher risk for urinary tract infections if they are more sexually active. Since our bodies are covered with bacteria, intercourse can potentially introduce it to the urinary tract.

30s: Continue healthy habits for your health

• Start adding strength training to your exercise. There are so many benefits of exercise, and during your 30s your metabolism inevitably slows. One way to continue to maintain a healthy weight is to add strength training to build muscle. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, it will help keep you in great physical shape.
  
• Fertility could potentially be an issue. During your 30s, if you’re considering a family, you might encounter issues with fertility making it more difficult. However, physicians can be a great source of help with family planning.

40s: Understand how you’re feeling

• Understand the early symptoms for menopause. Symptoms for menopause can start as early as five years before it actually happens. Some symptoms include concentration problems, vaginal dryness, or fatigue. Talking to your physician can help you deal with these symptoms, and your physician will be able to tell you if your symptoms are normal.
  
• Your estrogen levels are changing. This is the time in your life when your hormones may be tapering off. As a result, the tissue in your vaginal area tends to shrink and shrivel and could lead to vaginal dryness. This also increases the risk for urinary tract infections as well, since the tissue may harbor more bacteria.
  
• Start monitoring your health. Having basic labs done and blood pressure monitoring are ways you can potentially catch any problem early. In general, most physicians say that your thyroid should be checked every few years. The reason is because many of the symptoms of thyroid disease are not specific, like fatigue, skin changes, hair changes, and weight changes.
  

50s and beyond: Identify potential issues early

• Work with your physician for the right screenings. In your 50s and beyond, having regular mammogram and colon cancer screenings is important because it can catch many issues before they become severe.
  
• Take preventative action. At this age, it’s more important than ever to make sure your bones are healthy – so make sure you get your Vitamin D. If you have a history of smoking, physicians can start screening for lung cancer. Talk to your doctor to see if you might be a candidate for aspirin therapy to help prevent strokes, heart attacks and other complications.
  

Heather Hawthorne, M.D., is a board-certified Family Physician working in the Los Angeles, CA area. She received her Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from The University of Oklahoma in 2000 and eventually continued on to her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2010. Dr. Hawthorne is trained in managing disease processes in all stages of life and is passionate about prevention and raising public awareness.