Healthy Skin from the Inside Out: Lifestyle Habits That Support Your Skin

A good skincare routine can support your skin as it moves through different stages, but skincare is only one part of the picture.

Genetics, hormones, environment and everyday lifestyle habits can all influence how your skin looks and feels. Sleep, stress, nutrition, physical activity, hydration and sun exposure play a role in everything from dryness and breakouts to pigmentation and visible signs of skin aging.

You can build small, consistent habits to improve your skin's health while also supporting your overall health.

Important note: Lifestyle information is provided for educational purposes and isn't a substitute for individual medical, dermatological or nutritional advice.

How does lifestyle affect your skin?

Chronic stress, lack of sleep, sun exposure and certain everyday habits can influence skin health or aggravate existing skin concerns. Stress, for example, can worsen some inflammatory skin conditions, while regular physical activity increases blood flow, which helps boost collagen production and supports cell turnover.

1. Prioritize sleep

Sleep supports your overall physical and mental health and helps keep your skin looking its best. Try to:

• Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each day.
• Create a relaxing routine before bed.
• Reduce screen time before bedtime if it interferes with your sleep.
• Keep your pillowcases clean, particularly if you're prone to breakouts.

2. Find healthy ways to manage stress

Stress can influence your body's inflammatory response and can worsen conditions including acne, eczema and psoriasis for some people.

Walking, stretching, spending time outside, reading, listening to music, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or simply stepping away from your screen for a few minutes are ways to decompress.

3. Keep moving

We all know that exercise offers amazing health benefits. Your skin is one of them!

Regular physical activity supports cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing and stress management. Exercise also increases blood flow throughout the body, including the skin.

To stay consistent, choose movement you actually enjoy. Walking, dancing, strength training, swimming, cycling, yoga or playing a sport are all awesome options.

What about sweat and your skin?

Sweat itself is fine, but leaving sweat, oil and other buildup sitting on your skin can contribute to irritation or breakouts. Dermatologists recommend gently cleansing your face after heavy sweating rather than aggressively scrubbing the skin.

4. Eat a varied, balanced diet

There isn't a magical diet for your skin (well, if there is, I haven't found it yet!). But if you focus on eating a varied diet that supports your overall nutritional needs and provides enough antioxidants, your skin will look and feel better.

In addition to eating regular meals and drinking enough water, include:

• Colourful fruits and vegetables for a broad range of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds.
• Omega-3-rich foods such as salmon, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseed.
• Antioxidant-rich foods including berries and leafy greens.
• Protein sources that form part of a balanced diet (animal, plant-based or a combination).

Not a fan of plain water? Try adding fresh berries, cucumber, lemon or lime for flavour.

Foods to reduce from your diet

Reducing foods and drinks high in added sugars, highly processed foods, fried foods and alcohol can help keep you and your skin healthier.

If you have specific health, nutritional or dietary concerns, speak with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional for advice that's appropriate for you.

5. Make sun protection part of your everyday skincare routine

If one lifestyle habit has a particularly well-established link to visible skin aging, it is sun protection. Repeated exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation contributes to photoaging, which is premature skin aging caused by the sun. It can contribute to wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, age spots and changes in skin texture.

Sun exposure from earlier decades may also become more noticeable as skin evolves through your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. You may notice:

• Sunspots or uneven pigmentation, or changes in skin tone and brightness.
• More visible fine lines and wrinkles and an uneven skin texture.
• Areas of hyperpigmentation or melasma, which can appear as darker patches of pigmentation and may be influenced by sunlight and hormonal factors.

Health Canada SPF recommendations

Health Canada recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum protection helps protect against both UVA and UVB radiation. Personally, I reach for SPF 50+, but the important thing is choosing appropriate sun protection and using it daily.

They also recommend reapplying at least every two hours while you're outside, and more frequently after swimming or heavy sweating.

Since UV exposure can still occur on cloudy days, and snow can reflect UV radiation during winter, you should still use it year-round.

Additional sun protection

In Canada, Health Canada recommends taking additional sun protection precautions when the UV Index reaches 3 or higher. Sun protection can include wearing a wide-brimmed hat, UVA- and UVB-protective sunglasses, choosing protective clothing, and seeking shade where possible.

Do Women of Colour (WOC) need daily sunscreen?

Yes, WOC definitely need daily sunscreen. Melanin provides some natural protection from UV radiation, but it does not make skin immune to UV damage or skin cancer.

For people with medium to deeper skin tones, sun and visible light exposure can also contribute to hyperpigmentation and melasma. Tinted broad-spectrum sunscreens containing iron oxide can provide additional protection, which is particularly relevant for people prone to dark spots and melasma.

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Want to explore the connection between lifestyle and healthy-looking skin in more detail? Check out some of our other articles.

• 7 parts of whole health for your healthiest self: A broader look at physical, mental and lifestyle wellbeing, with healthy skin as an added benefit.
• 12 ways to improve your skin with exercise: Explore the relationship between physical activity, circulation, stress management and healthy-looking skin.
• Do these 9 things to slow down aging naturally: Simple lifestyle habits that support your overall health and wellbeing as you age.