Ten Major Body Changes that You Should Expect as you Age

Minor pains and aches can arise as time passes. Regardless of how you want to stay young, the cells of your body change and the aging process takes place. Because you have not found the fountain of youth, you need to learn to what to expect from normal aging to ensure you continue to live healthily year after year.

Being in tune with your body and using some preventative awareness and healthy to take care of it helps with the aging process. In general, as people age into their sixties, their skin is looser, their joints feel creakier and their blood vessels are a bit stiffer. Inner process like immune system function tends to work less as people as well. Knowledge of body changes can minimize anxiety and stress.

Muscles, Joints and Bones

As the bones lose strength and density with age, they are prone to fractures. Also, muscle mass shrinks and you can get weaker, particularly when you do not exercise regularly. Normal wear and tear is expected to instigate joints inflammation and pain that also make them less flexible.

Skin

With age, skin will lose elasticity and becomes thinner, prone to bruising and become more fragile. Age spots and wrinkles get noticeable on people at various ages, depending upon genetics, overall health and sun exposure. However, the majority of people begin to see wrinkles appear in their thirties and get more extensive progressively with every passing decade. Also, decreased natural oil in the skin causes skin itchiness and dryness.

Mobility

Usually, balance issues arise with age because of joint, muscle and bone changes, in addition to changes in the nervous system. The body’s synapse firing and connections aren’t working at the same level as they did at a younger age which makes mobility a bit more cumbersome. Also, hearing loss can contribute to the loss of balance. These changes make people prone to falling that can lead further damage to fractures and bruising.

Body Shape and Metabolism

As the bones change as you age, shrinking normally takes part in the process. Spine curvature can arise and decreased muscle mass and slowed metabolism can result in tougher weight management. Changes in carbohydrate and sugar metabolism can result in diabetes and fat, calcium, vitamin D and cholesterol are usually modified which makes diet plans and supplements vital. Hormonal changes are a normal part of aging and the majority women experience menopause in their forties. Also, thyroid function can decline which causes problems with managing weight.

Teeth and Gum

Because of bone mass loss, teeth become more brittle and weaker which makes good oral hygiene even more necessary. The oral glands produce less saliva that can lead to dry mouth, bad breath, tooth decay, tooth loss, tooth infections and gum disease. Gum recession is normal.
Memory
In the elderly, memory retrieval issues are common which makes forgetfulness normal. A lot of people link such memory issues with dementia that can actually be related or not. This is the reason a senior should consult with a healthcare professional to know whether memory issues are a symptom of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease or a normal part aging.

Hair and Nails

As you grow old, you expect your hair and nails to become weaker. Hair tends to become thinner and nails to get brittle and dry. Toenails can lose their shape and become thick. Pacific Sunrise Home, a leading residential care facility in California, suggests that you keep up with regular nail cutting hygiene. Also, nail fungal infections is common.

Immune System

Your immune system will become weaker as you age. This increases your risk of infection. To ensure your immune system functions better, you should be physically active and get enough sleep.

Hearing

Hearing changes can become tougher with age. This is caused by the changes in the ear and nerve structures.

Vision

As you age, your eyes get drier and the lens may lose focus. This makes vision out of focus or blurry Contact lenses and/or glasses usually help with such symptoms.