You’ve often heard people remark, “Age is just a number!” or “Sixty is the new forty” or even “Seventy is the new age of opportunity!”
All of these are no doubt intended to make you feel better about growing older, but deep down inside, there is a secret dread of aging, developing age related conditions such as Alzheimer’s or becoming dependent on other people.
There is no getting away from the fact that aging is a given. It is a fact of nature, on par with birth, death, and changes in the mind and body, wear and tear of the human system, as with any other living thing on our planet.
Added to this awareness come the barbs, intended or unintended, from those around us. Chance remarks, changes in attitude and behavior, unfortunate breaches of etiquette and a lack of sensitivity from younger people around us can become a huge challenge. Whether you’re with your family, riding the subway, at a party, supermarket or out for a walk in the park, you are compelled to become aware of your advancing years.
Aging: Interesting Things To Know
At the turn of the 20th century, human life expectancy in the economically prosperous countries was between 40 and 45 years, barring the outbreak of wars or epidemics. Towards the beginning of the 20th century, this advanced significantly, and now in the early years of the 21st century, there are more than 500,000 centenarians in the world, and nearly 25,000 people who have already crossed age 90.
According to the World Health Organization, most people across the world can expect to live beyond their sixties today. By the year 2050, our population of people above 60 will cross 2 billion, and those above 80 could well be close to 500 million.
In some countries such as Japan, the population above 60 has climbed to 30% already, and in lower income countries, experts estimate that this percentage will be achieved in a couple of decades.
To describe the phenomenon of aging in scientific terms, it is the result of the accumulation of several kinds of cellular and molecular damage over time. It is a process that takes place almost since the time we are born and certainly during our adult life. Cells die and are or are not replaced based on their function.
As this damage progresses, the entire organism is affected, and there is a decline in physical and mental capacity, increased vulnerability to diseases, and finally death. However, there is no fixed pattern or time frame for these events, and there are wide variations across different populations across the world. Apart from the biological aspect, there are many other factors that can impact the rate of aging. Occupation, nutrition, how much you have been exposed to disease-causing organisms, lifestyle, mental health, stress, substance abuse and location are some of the other facets that come into play in the process.
Some of the obvious signs are increased debility, memory loss, development of chronic conditions and in many cases, social and emotional isolation.
How To Become a Centenarian: Top 10 Lifestyle Rules
When your goal is longevity, it’s important to know that simply living longer isn’t the whole picture. You need to ensure a good quality of life, stay fit mentally, physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. There is really no point in prolonging a life of illness, depression, dependence and isolation.
This is where the concept of self care comes in. Taking good care of your body and mind is not something that you can achieve in a week, or month or even a year. It has to become a part of your lifestyle early on. You can teach your children the concept while they’re still young, and it’s never too late for you to incorporate it yourself, no matter what your age. Find more health and wellness and self care information at the Rest and Digest website here.
Meanwhile, here are our top 10 recommendations:
- Kick That Habit: Studies show that quitting smoking can dramatically increase your life-span, and quitting in your 30s can give you an entire decade more. Quitting smoking in later decades can give you at least up to 6 years extra. Limit alcohol to moderate quantities, and some studies report the benefits of red wine in small measures.
- Lower Calorie Intake: Reducing your food intake increases your lifespan and also improves your immunity to diseases, cuts belly fat and improves general health. Stave off those hunger pangs with healthy options such as fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, natural oils and nuts. Add turmeric to your diet to get the benefits of curcumin that can increase immunity. Maintain a healthy weight, but don’t stress about it, and indulge yourself occasionally.
- Sleep and Rest: Get enough sleep, and keep your phone and other devices out of the bedroom. Invest in a simple analog alarm clock to wake you up. The benefits of taking a cat nap or siesta are becoming known across the world and that little snooze can well be your talisman against cardiovascular disease and stress.
- Exercise: Incorporate regular exercise into your life. We often make New Year resolutions, join an expensive gym or club, and find that we ditch them in a matter of months. This can be because you chose an activity that requires you to be in a certain place, or it requires reorganizing your schedule, perhaps it needs special equipment or more simply, it bores you after a while. Instead, select uncomplicated forms of exercise such as walking, yoga, Tai Chi. You can join a dance class or a local laughter club for a more fun way to get fit. Ensure that you get at least 150 minutes of physical activity in a week.
- Diets: Studies have reported that people in certain parts of the world such as Japan and the Mediterranean region tend to live longer. Many of the centenarians of the world live in these areas. One of the secrets to their longevity is their diet. Research diets such as the Mediterranean or Okinawa diets and build them into your own lifestyle.
- Relationships: There is evidence to show that married people or those in long term relationships tend to live longer. People who are also divorced or widowed also live longer than their contemporaries who were never married. Staying socially connected is important and we get the emotional support and friendship that goes a long way in busting your stress and getting you out of those blue moods.
- Mental Health: Letting go of grudges, forgiving people who have hurt you, staying in touch with school and college mates, connecting with your family and siblings, enjoying spending time with young people are clues to a longer and happier life.
- Practice Kindness and Gratitude: Be mindful of your social environment, and don’t neglect to acknowledge kindnesses, favors or even a simple smile or a cheery good morning. As we age, we tend to become more self-centered, and we often fail to realize that we appear grouchy to others.
- Stay Safe: Use reasonable measures to protect yourself from communicable diseases and accidents. Ensure that your living areas are well lit, and that you get your eyes and ears checked regularly. Never forget to wear your seat-belt, and engage a driver if you aren’t confident of driving.
- Develop Hobbies: Keep your brain sharp by learning a new skill, or perfecting your hobbies. They give you a sense of achievement and purpose, lower stress and help in the release of good hormones.
