Changes attributed to aging

 With improved healthcare and knowledge of important exercise and diets, Americans are living longer these days. That is unless of course you factor in the obesity epidemic. All things considered then a person has a much greater chance of living a longer life than most of our parents and grandparents had. Today a greater percentage of Americans are 65 or older than in previous generations.

In 1900, only one American in thirty was over 65. By 2030 one American in five will be 65 or older ( Nuland, 2005 referenced in Psych 2008-2009 edition).

According to the text book Psych by Spencer A. Rathus,  here are some of the things you can expect to happen to us as we get older, plus some of my own thoughts and experiences added in.

1. Hair can turn gray, and thin out.

2. Fingernails can thicken.

3. The brain shrinks. It is not known if it affects mental function. People tend to be at their height of cognitive development early adulthood. Of course it's been proven that adults can express cognitive skills such as creativity at great levels in the arts and even dancing. Even though declines in memory do happen as we get older they are reversible. As any dietician will tell you eat blue berries, omega 3 fat supplements,  and walnuts for a healthier mind. It doesn't hurt to continue to exercise your mind. Recently, I  read of an elderly woman who just graduated college. What a great way to push one's mind and keep sharp. According to Psych by Spencer A. Rathus,, research evidence suggests that people tend to grow psychologically healthier as they advance from adolescence to middle adulthood. In fact the text goes on to point out that subjects that had been studied for over 50 years since adolescence were generally more productive and had healthier relationships as time went on.

4. Sensitivity  of hearing, sight, taste, and smell all decline with age. Beginning in the late 30s to mid 40s  the lenses of the eyes start to grow brittle which makes it harder to focus on objects. This is known in scientific circles as presbyopia.

5. Wrinkles occur as the skin thins. Underlying fat shrinks, and age spots can crop up.

6. Levels of hormones drop, or the body becomes less responsive to them.

7. The immunity weakens as the body becomes less able to resist some pathogens.

8. Lung capacity drops.

9. Cardiovascualar problems become more common.

10. Muscles can grow weaker as strength usually peaks in the 20's and then declines. That's the statement in my Psych text book from the psychology class I'm currently enrolled in as of 2010, but as I would like to point out that I believe this to be if the person never exercised. I myself am much stronger in my late 30's than I ever was in my early 20's. In general most of muscle and athletic decline occurs in our 20s and 30s especially in the realm of professional sports where peak performance is a must to win. The good news is though for the most part between 40 and 60 the decline is usually very slow, gradual, and not of much consequence unless one is competing in sports. That being said, I have to point out that this figures in that a person is eating healthy and exercising. It's never too late to get off the couch, but as we've all seen on shows like the Biggest Loser when a person eats the wrong foods and fails to exercise it can take a huge toll on that person's health till they decide to take action. It's possible for a person to look better than they did in their young adulthood by making healthy changes in their lifestyle.

11. The kidneys become less efficient. The bladder can't hold as much making urination more frequent.

12. Women go through menopause, and testosterone levels drop in men. Age dhanges impact sexual functioning, but most people can enjoy sex for a lifetime if they are relatively healthy.

13.Wear and tear on bones and joints can lead to arthritic joints, and osteroposis, especially in women. Risks of breaks in bones are much greater due to changes in calcium metabolism. Side note: This is why it's extremely important to exercise and eat right to keep bones and joints healthy into our later years. My wife and I take Flex-a-min supplements and find it's helped us to be able to run without facing nearly as many issues with our knees over the past few years. In fact, we have been regularly doing sprint sessions at the time of this writing.