WE GET BETTER WITH AGE
Poor eyesight, memory lapses, creaking joints... we hear so much about how our bodies deteriorate as we get older but as MICHELE O’CONNOR discovers, there are many ways in which our health and wellbeing can improve over the years
FEWER ALLERGIES
Many allergies lessen in severity over time, due to a decline in the production of the allergic antibody IgE, says Dr Rees , of online health community TalkHealth. “A study of former American college students, followed up for over 20 years, showed that well over half of those with hay fever saw a significant improvement as they got older.”
BETTER SEX
According to a recent Public Health England survey of 7,367 women, those aged 55 to 64 are the most sexually contented. Only 29 per cent reported being disappointed with their sex lives compared to 49 per cent of those aged 24-35.
Dr Marilyn Glenville (marilyn glenville.com), author of Natural Solutions to the Menopause, says: “For many women, their libido actually increases as they get older and especially after the menopause.
“There can be a number of reasons for this. One is the freedom from pregnancy and contraceptive concerns, another may be the start of a new relationship but, for others, it can be that as oestrogen levels decrease the testosterone they produce becomes more dominant.”
FEWER COLDS AND VIRAL INFECTIONS
“Over time, our immune system develops antibodies against an ever-increasing range of viruses,” explains Dr Jon Rees.
“As a result, minor infections such as colds, sinusitis, ear infections and tonsillitis become less common as we get older.” Flu is different, however, because those viruses mutate, so it’s still wise to get a flu vaccine just in case.
LOWER STRESS LEVELS
While the body’s stress response doesn’t change, we simply don’t get as stressed.
“There is no doubt that as we age, minor anxieties become less prevalent,” says Dr Rees. “We tend to become more comfortable in our own skin, less concerned about what others think about us and less stressed by day-to-day life.And we have a greater sense of what we can and can’t control.”
LESS-SENSITIVE TEETH
“As you get older the size of your dental nerves decreases and the dentine becomes thicker, making your teeth far less sensitive,” says Dr Mervyn Druian, of London Cosmetic Dentistry.
“That does depend on whether you have looked after your teeth, however. Receding gums expose the roots of the teeth increasing sensitivity, so make sure you see a dental hygienist at least twice a year.”
BETTER SLEEP
Apart from your 40s, sleep quality gets better with age, says a study of more than 150,000 adults that appeared in the journal Sleep.
While being depressed or having health problems was linked to poor sleep quality, researchers found that complaints about sleep fell as the ages of those questioned rose, with the lowest number of complaints coming from the over-70s.
INCREASED BRAIN POWER
We might process and retrieve information more slowly when we get older, but this doesn’t mean our thinking is less sharp.
A study of memory recall in older people suggests that our brains don’t lose cognitive power with age. “The human brain works slower in old age but only because we have stored more information over time,” said Dr Michael Ramscar of Tübingen University in Germany and lead author of the study.
“The brains of older people do not get weak. On the contrary, they simply know more.”
MORE ADVENTUROUS
The average 40-something still has seven countries to visit on their bucket list, with nearly a third feeling more “adventurous” about holidays than when they were younger, according to a poll by Rough Guides.
The survey also found that nearly half of respondents went on more holidays than at any other point of their lives.
And a report commissioned by Cigna Insurance Services involving 2,000 people found those approaching retirement have more ambitious plans than any previous generation, with over-50s anticipating at least five more significant “life events”, such as moving house, re-entering education or starting a business.
FEWER MIGRAINES
Women who suffer from migraines find they are likely to become less severe or frequent, and may stop altogether due to the menopause. As oestrogen is a common migraine trigger (women are three times more likely to have migraines than men), the reduction of this hormone removes the trigger, but it may also be because stress levels drop too.
MORE BODY CONFIDENCE
A poll by fashion company M&Co asked 1,300 women how they felt in swimwear, with one question asking directly how good they felt in swimwear at various ages.
The average rating was five out of 10, but those aged 65-74 had a rating of six out of 10.
As we get older, hang-ups about our bodies and the desire for perfection diminish, with the reasoning that there are more important things in life.
INCREASED EMPATHY
Women in their 50s have the most empathy, say researchers at the University of Michigan.They found that women aged 50-59 were more likely to make an effort to relate to different perspectives.
Another study, published in the Psychology and Aging journal shows that older adults were better at discriminating between posed and genuine smiles than younger adults, as they have greater experience in making nuanced social judgements.
BETTER SKIN
Our skin doesn’t necessarily deteriorate with age, says dermatologist Dr Gabriel Serrano, founder of Sesderma skincare.
“Women who have experienced oily skin in their teens and 20s find that skin breakouts cease after the menopause due to hormonal changes and less active oil glands.
“And women tend to adopt better lifestyle habits as they age; they stop smoking, adopt healthier dietary habits and are more aware of the damaging aspects of overexposure to the sun.They also know what ingredients do – and don’t – work for their skin type.”
FEWER HANGOVERS
Adults aged 18-29 were 10 times more likely to experience a hangover after a session of five or more alcoholic drinks than those aged 60-plus, according to a Keele University study. It’s thought we build up a biological tolerance to alcohol that slightly lowers hangover risk. And a study examining the drinking habits of more than 50,000 adults found that experience and wisdom teaches us to take preventative action and to know when to stop.
GREATER LIFE SATISFACTION
A UK study, based on nearly 10,000 people aged 15-90 and carried out over four consecutive years, found that overall satisfaction with life resembles a U-shape, explains Dr Miriam Stoppard, wellbeing adviser at Stannah.
“As you’d expect, teenage optimism puts them at the top of the chart but that joie de vivre swiftly plummets by 18, flattens out in the 20s, dips in the 30s and 40s then begins to rise again during the mid-50s. By 70 people’s contentment reaches its peak.
“People up to the age of 90 still register a higher score of overall satisfaction with life than people half their age.
“One of greatest reasons for life satisfaction as we age is that we’re happier because we’ve lived and learnt a lot.You can do the things you want: choose to be where you want, with whom you want.
“And, of course, after retirement, couples have a lot more time to do things together.”