12 Things to Stop Doing Once You Turn 40

We’ve all seen those lists that tell us what we need to stop doing after we turn a certain age. These are the lists that tell us selfies are for youngsters and that heavy lifting isn’t for anyone after a certain age. While these lists are fun to read, they don’t necessarily hit on the important information. Instead, they take a person’s opinion and run with it. However, if you are looking for a list of essential things to stop doing after turning 40, you’re in the right place.  

When young, it’s easy to put off important tasks simply because you think you have all the time in the world. Yet, time continues to sneak up on us. Before we know it, Father Time has introduced us to our 40s. Now is the moment to start thinking seriously about everything you have been putting off or how you have been treating your body. If you just had a 40th birthday party, here are 12 things to stop doing once you turn 40.  

All-nighters are fun and all when you’re a teenager or in your 20s. Prepping for that big exam or having a giggle fest with your closest friends as a pre-teen may call for an all-nighter. Yet now that the 40s are here, it’s time to stop jeopardizing your health and sleep.  

In order to function, adults need between seven to eight hours of sleep a night. If you have to wake early for work, but still insist on staying up all night, you are sacrificing more than you think.

All-nighters will lead to sleep deprivation. In turn, lack of sleep will affect several areas of your life (making it harder to function during the day.) These include: 

• Cognitive functioning will be fuzzy
• Judgement will be off 
• Fatigue 
• Low energy levels 
• Sensitivity to pain and cold (our bodies repair while we sleep)  
• Mood swings  
• May Increase depression and anxiety  

So, before you continue with those all-nighters, give it a second thought.  Those precious hours of sleep benefit you more than you may realize.  

Growing older comes with many benefits and a host of downfalls. One of those downfalls is that our metabolism slows down. Our bodies don’t process food as fast as they used to. According to Piedmont Healthcare, each decade that passes after the age of 20 averages a 10 percent decrease in how fast our bodies break down food.  
 
This means that if you have been avoiding exercise like the plague, now is the time to reconsider. Hopping back on the exercise bandwagon will help you get a jump start on taking care of your body, especially since no one has figured out a way to slow time down or completely stop it yet. Even though we don’t like it, our bodies will continue to age, and since we only get one body in this life, it’s a good idea to take care of it.  

If you have neglected to develop healthy eating habits, you may want to consider giving your diet an overhaul.  

Taking care of your health and body should be at the top of your priority list. If you find yourself navigating towards junk food over healthier options, chances are it will begin catching up to you sooner rather than later.

Drinking enough water is important for everyday functions. It helps create saliva, regulates your body temperature, and increases energy. These are not the only benefits of drinking enough water though.

If you find yourself in the camp of not drinking enough water, it is time to reevaluate and be sure to get those 11-15 cups of water a day.

Binge drinking is never really a good idea. Alcohol is undoubtedly terrible for livers in large quantities. Drinking too much can lead to several health issues, including:  

• Liver damage 
• Brain damage  
• Increase blood pressure 
• Increased risk of diabetes  
• Mood disorders 
• Certain types of cancers  

After turning 40, when you make the decision to focus on your health, it’s a good idea to decrease the amount of alcohol you consume or quit altogether.  

Putting off those well-check visits can feel like second nature. After all, we’re so busy with work, kids, and all the other responsibilities, who has time to go to the doctor? However, if you have been avoiding seeing your physician, run to the phone and make an appointment. Doctors are doctors for a reason. They are there to make sure our bodies are functioning the way they are supposed to, and they can catch anything that may seem out of the ordinary.  
 
Though those aches and pains you feel may be perfectly normal, getting an annual checkup as you age is important. Doing so can put you ahead of anything that may be detrimental to your health in the short and long run.  

The importance of sunscreen is no secret. Without it, we are putting our skin at risk with the dangers of the Ultraviolet rays from the sun. These rays can cause several conditions, including:  

• Premature aging 
• Sunburn 
• Skin cancer 

So, if you are the type of person who skips the sunscreen or forgets altogether, try setting a reminder when you’re out in the sun. Protecting your skin is worth it.    

Life happens, and it’s easy to put too much on your plate, especially in today’s society where we are constantly on the go. Yet, being late for an appointment, work, school, or any other commitment is pretty rude. While there are always things you can’t help, such as traffic, many chronically late people just have poor time management skills.  
 
Respecting your time and the time of another person is important. Now that the 40s are here, enough time has passed in our adult lives that managing time should be a learned skill.  

Have you said no to going out or adding another commitment to your plate? Then, felt compelled to explain why you said no? The thing is no is a complete sentence. You do not have to overexplain an absence or explain why you said no.  
 
This is even true for the decisions you make for your life and family. If someone just doesn't like the way you are choosing to live your life, there’s no reason to over-explain. As an adult, you can live your life as you see fit, no reason to over-explain to the nosey Nellies in the grocery store.

Mental health is so important. For a very long time, it was seen as a taboo topic, but now, more and more is being learned about mental health. Sometimes, the mentality is to keep on keeping on. Ignore whatever is happening in your head and do what needs to be done.  
 
Yes, having a good work ethic is excellent, but when your mental health is deteriorating, then meeting your responsibilities becomes that much harder. If you have found that you are now in your 40s and you have put off working on your mental health or even safeguarding it, now is the time to make it a priority.

Sometimes, all it takes is practicing self-care and setting boundaries to start protecting your mental well-being. Other times, it will take a lot more time, maybe therapy or something else. Regardless, don’t let another decade pass by and ignore your mental well-being.

Sometimes, we develop unhealthy habits that we know are terrible for us. These can include things already on the list, like pulling all-nighters or binge drinking. Other times, they are more subtle, like drinking way too much soda. There are even habits that can seem impossible to break, like smoking.  
 
However, it is never too late to break unhealthy habits. Now is a great time to tackle that unhealthy habit you have been putting off so you can be even healthier in your 40s.  

When young, it’s easy to let the opinions and thoughts of our peers define who we are. The desire to fit in or be liked may be our driving force while going through school and college. Sometimes, that desire never goes away as we become adults. If you find that you make most of your decisions based on what someone else thinks about you, now is the time to focus on your opinion alone.  
 
Worrying about another person’s opinion can hold you back or take you on a path that you never really wanted to go on. Living our lives to the fullest and being happier than before may mean learning how to let those opinions roll right off your shoulders.  

Turning 40 doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Do you love taking those selfies or going to the gym to pump iron? There’s no reason to give those up just because you’ve been on this earth longer than others. The most important things to stop doing when you turn 40 affect your health most and for most. As the clock continues to tick on and on, taking care of the only body and mind we have should always be a top priority.

If you have been avoiding the doctor or putting off breaking those bad habits, now is a great time to work on your health. Remember, focusing on your mental well-being and health is never too late. Before you know it, you’ll be happier and healthier, rocking those 40s.  (Read our list of things to stop doing once you turn 50.)