Signs Of Aging

The aging process is slow, so we don't notice on a day to day basis that we're getting older.  Something usually happens to remind us that we're aging.  Several things have happened recently to remind me.  First, a friend of mine showed up at the dog park with a big bandage on her arm.  When I asked what happened, she told me she had been scratched by a dog that harmlessly jumped on her.  Her skin was so thin it broke the skin and she bled profusely.  That incident reminded me that the same thing has happened to me.  A simple scratch, that years ago would have amounted to nothing, can now be something that takes weeks to heal.  My skin is very thin.  Another reminder that I'm not as young as I think I am, occured in a recent yoga class.  I am physically very active, but have been doing exercise other than yoga for about 6 months.  I decided to go back to yoga, and I immediately felt my age.  A sharp pain down the back of my leg from a forward fold, and a sharp pain in the heal of my foot from downward facing dog.  I was not aware I had these pains because I had not been stretching these areas.  This taught me that a balanced, varied exercise program is the the best.  Doing just one activity, like walking, does not get all parts of the body.  It's true.  Anyway, there are so many changes to our body that occur with age, that I thought I might list a few.  If they haven't happened to you yet, you'll know what to expect.

1.  Skin becomes thinner, less elastic, forms wrinkles, and takes longer to heal.

2.  Hearing and vision change subtly.  Then one day you wake up and find you need a hearing aid.

3.  Response time slows.  I find this when driving the car.

4.  Loss of muscle mass occurs faster in those that are inactive.

5.  You get shorter

6.  Voice pitch lowers

7.  Bones lose strength and cartilage loss in joints leads to arthritis

8.  Alcohol effects are greater and it stays in your system longer

9.  Hair grays and thins

10.  Loss of body hair

There are many more physiological changes which I have not mentioned that change our mood and general health.  I find it best to be realistic about what we can do physically as we age.  We can usually do more than we think we can.  I started spinning about a year ago.  The first class I went to was almost my last.  I didn't think I could keep up, but in a few weeks my strength built and I was hooked.  The high from spinning is similar to skiing, but I don't have to worry about getting hurt.  We have to change and modify as we age.  There is some physical activity appropriate for every age.  Never give up.  Keeping your physical body in shape will slow the aging process and keep you mentally sharper.  Nothing can stop the aging process, but let's do everything we can to slow it down.