Stopping this one habit will likely do more for your longevity — and your health in general — than any other change you make. Numerous studies have chronicled the toll tobacco takes on the overall well-being and health status of both men and women. More specifically, continuing a heavy smoking habit past the age of 40 has been shown to chop as much as a decade off your life. It can worsen many age-related diseases like heart disease and diabetes.1 Smoking also causes premature skin aging, making you look older.