A father teaches his daughter healthy habits. They are outside stretching together.Photo bySv Svetlana via Shutterstock

Young people think they’re invincible. They take risks, eat greasy foods without a second thought, and don’t consider how the habits they build today will affect their tomorrow.

Those in their 40s and beyond know better. What they did in their 20s and 30s has massive impacts on their health and wellness today.

There’s still time to change, no matter what age. Consider how these 21 habits will impact your life in the future.

Working Out

Building a fitness habit in your 20s is far easier than in your 40s. It gets harder and harder to start with each passing decade.

Start cultivating good fitness habits today. Go to the gym or take a walk around the block. You’ll thank yourself when you’re still mobile in your 80s.

Hobbies

Young people building their careers, and middle-aged people in the thick of jobs and families often ignore their interests, claiming they don’t have time to engage.

That’s a mistake.

Make time for the things you love in every stage of your life. It will help you build community, keep your mind sharp, and give you something to strive for in your golden years.

Ear Protection

Kids are too cool to wear ear protection at rock concerts, but they pay the price.

Too much of a good thing, especially loud music, is horrible for long-term hearing. Many people who enjoyed concerts in their youth develop tinnitus as they age.

Ear protection may not look cool, but it will save your hearing.

Balanced Diet

There’s nothing wrong with indulging in a greasy burger now and then, but when you hit 40, your body won’t be able to take it anymore.

It’s easier to cultivate healthy eating habits when you’re young. Don’t wait until you’re sick all the time to try to change your diet.

Swap the burger for a salad once a week. Eat carrots instead of chips for a snack. Find healthier alternatives to your favorite indulgences.

Going to the Dentist

Nobody likes the dentist (except Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors), but the earlier you go and maintain good dental hygiene, the better.

Putting off dental work will only exacerbate the problems. It also negatively affects your overall health, potentially leading to a wide range of illnesses, from cardiovascular disease to diabetes.

Make oral hygiene a habit. Get your teeth cleaned every six months and fix minor problems before they become significant.

Saving Money

You should start saving for retirement with your very first paycheck. The magic of compounding interest means the earlier you start, the less you have to save overall.

If you haven’t started saving yet, it’s not too late. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is today. Examine your budget and find ways to cut back so you can send something - anything - into a retirement savings account.

Maintaining Relationships

Your family and friends will be increasingly important as you age. Don’t neglect them in your 20s and 30s.

Maintain contact with the people who matter to you. Make an effort to call and visit them. Show them that they matter.

When the kids are grown, and you’re ready to retire, you’ll be thankful for the lasting community you’ve built.

Too Much Partying

Young people can stay up partying until the wee hours of dawn, catch an hour of sleep, then return to work the next day with nary a hangover.

Once you reach middle age, those nights are over. Hangovers last for days. Missing even an hour of sleep throws off your entire schedule.

Nasty Habits

Smoking and drinking seem cool now, but both bad habits can lead to serious health problems as you age.

It’s far easier to stop earlier in life. The longer you continue using them, the harder it will be to quit, and the more likely they’ll damage your long-term health.

Impulse Spending

If you don’t manage your spending early, you’ll have trouble as you age.

Learn to separate your wants from your needs, identify your spending triggers, create a budget, and take your financial health seriously.

The longer you wait to start, the deeper the hole you’ll have to climb out of.

Self-Care

Most of us have so much going on that we ignore the person who matters most: ourselves.

Build healthy self-care habits when you’re young. Take an hour a week to pamper yourself. Show yourself that you matter.

Building these habits while you’re young will lead to lasting wellness.

Resilience

Life will throw you curve balls, and the sooner you learn to handle them, the better off you will be for the long term.

Those who build resilience while young can bounce back from setbacks faster. They can shake off the things that don’t matter and focus on what does.

Stop letting the things that don’t matter bring you down.

Managing Sleep

Most humans need at least 8 hours of sleep per night. It doesn’t seem as crucial while you’re young when you can pull an all-nighter and still function the next day, but it’s vital as you age.

Building a bedtime habit that allows you to get eight hours of sleep when you’re young will make it easier to stick to as you age. Trust us; when you hit middle age, sleep is vital.

Sunscreen

Young people love galavanting in the sun, never considering the harmful rays penetrating their skin. As you age, the sun’s devastating power becomes ever more apparent.

Too much sun exposure leads to sunspots, wrinkles, aged skin, and even cancer. Use sunscreen every time, no matter how “uncool” it seems.

Oversharing

Today's young people will cringe at their Facebook memories. Although every generation went through its drama phase, Young millennials and all subsequent generations have it way worse. They could post all their teenage drama online for the world to see.

Things posted on the internet stay there forever. Be mindful of what you share so it doesn’t come back to haunt you.

Dealing with Trauma

Everyone has some sort of trauma in their lives, whether from a bad upbringing, an unhealthy relationship, or a life-altering experience.

The longer you wait to confront the trauma, the worse it will be. One day, when you least expect it, it will creep on you and throw a wrench into your life.

Find ways to deal with your trauma before it comes calling. Overcoming it early is the best way to prevent it from disrupting your life later.

How You Treat People

Your reputation will follow you wherever you go. People give young adults a pass for rude behavior, but if you don’t learn to treat others respectfully, you’ll enter your senior years with no one in your corner.

Dump your ego and give other people space to exist. Become someone other people want to be around.

Stretching

Humans were not designed to sit at a computer for eight hours a day. If you’re an office worker, you must take time to stretch.

Give yourself a 5-10 minute stretch break every hour. Reach for the stars and touch your toes. Rotate your neck and arms. Feel the stiffness melt away as you move your body.

Building a Routine

Routines sound boring, but they will help you immensely as you age. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Set a dinner time, walk time, gym time, and self-care time.

If you develop a healthy routine early, it will become second nature by the time you reach middle age.

Stress Management

Our lives are stressful. Stress can lead to a wide range of ailments, from depression to fatigue, headaches to heart problems.

Handling stress appropriately can significantly benefit your overall health and wellness. Developing healthy coping mechanisms while you’re young will ensure you can handle stressful events for years to come.

Knowing What Matters

Far too many people spend the best years of their lives worrying about things that don’t matter. They try to impress people they don’t even like, strive for a status that means nothing, and spend their money in desperate attempts to look cool.

When you identify what truly matters, your life takes on a whole new meaning. The earlier you focus on the people who love and care for you, wellness, and self-actualization, the better your life will be.

Build Healthy Habits Now

Regardless of your age, it’s never too late to build healthy habits. The earlier you start, the easier it is, so start today.

This article was produced and syndicated by Partners in Fire.