By Jonathan Shanahan
While most of us don’t relish the idea of getting older, the alternative is worse. That said, just because we should all be grateful if we do make it to old age, that doesn’t mean it’s all fun and games. On the contrary, in fact. Today, we’re taking a list of 10+ things no one – not even the elderly – likes to admit about getting old. From brain changes that make it harder to learn, to the loss of our very independence, these are challenges that many of us will have to face, even if we’d rather not talk about them.
You start to fixate on death
At a certain point in life, you’re going to realize that the majority of your days are now behind you.
This realization is inevitably accompanied by a fixation on death, which – if not properly managed – can become overwhelming.
Your dental health get worse
Even if you remember to brush and floss every day, your dental health will inevitably decline as you get older.
Proper dental care can help you keep your own teeth, but you can still look forward to sensitive gums, dry mouth and a range of other problems.
You have to deal with the menopause
It’s rarely talked about, but going through the menopause is an incredibly difficult process for many women.
Rapidly changing hormone levels can result in night sweats, irritability and the dreaded hot flashes. Some women even spontaneously develop severe food allergies.
You get weaker
Keeping active is incredibly important for maintaining your health as you age, but there’s only so much you can achieve with regular exercise.
Past the age of 40, your strength levels will start to steadily decline, and this process will accelerate as you get older.
You become more anxious
The amygdala is a part of the brain that regulates fear and anxiety, and it becomes increasingly active as you age.
This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as it pays to be more cautious when your physical abilities are diminishing, but it’s not exactly pleasant.
Your sex drive decreases
It’s entirely possible for old people to maintain healthy sex lives, especially with the help of hormone replacement treatments.
However, there’s no denying the fact that your libido will decrease as you get older, and in some cases your sex drive will vanish altogether.
People treat you differently
One of the hardest parts about getting older is the fact that people start to treat you differently… even though you feel exactly the same.
Many older people get extremely frustrated with being condescended to, or having their younger friends and colleagues assume they’re incapable of basic tasks.
You’re more likely to be in pain
If you’ve ever wondered why old people groan so much when they’re getting in and out of chairs, it’s because they’re in constant pain.
New injuries will hurt for months, while injuries you sustained in your youth will suddenly surprise you by revealing that they never properly healed.
You get varicose veins
While they’re not usually dangerous, some people get incredibly self-conscious about the varicose veins that appear on their legs.
Varicose veins are caused by increased pressure, often because the valves that control blood flow inside the veins have stopped working properly.
Your senses start to fade
It’s common knowledge that your vision and hearing get worse as you age, but in truth all of your senses start to fade.
This includes your sense of taste and smell, which is one of the reasons old people frequently over-salt their food.
Your joints start to hurt
Over the course of your lifetime, the joints in your ankles, knees and elbows take a lot of wear and tear.
As a result, many old people struggle with severe joint pain, which in turn makes it hard to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.
You smell worse
Sad but true: due to a number of biological processes, your body odor tends to get worse as you age.
Worse yet, because your own sense of smell will also get worse, there’s a good chance you won’t realize that you’ve started to smell, which can lead to awkward conversations.
Cleaning yourself gets harder
Maintaining good personal hygiene becomes even more important as you age. Unfortunately, keeping yourself good and clean also becomes increasingly difficult.
There are a few reasons for this, including loss of mobility and balance issues that can turn taking a shower into a daunting task.
You can’t pull off the same outfits
There’s nothing more embarrassing than someone over the age of 60 who still dresses like they’re in their 20s.
However, this doesn’t automatically mean that your fashion sense changes as you age, and many older people lament the fact that they can’t pull of the outfits they like anymore.
Your skin becomes more sensitive
As you get older, your skin simultaneously loses its natural moisture and starts to get thinner. This makes it increasingly sensitive.
As a result, you might suddenly find that cosmetic products you’ve used your entire life suddenly cause unpleasant reactions.