5 signs your body is aging too fast
While most age-related changes are certainly worth accepting, some signs may appear earlier than usual (if at all).
Here are five signs that may suggest you are aging prematurely:
Easily lose balance
Good balance will help you avoid falls - the number one cause of fatal injuries in people over 65.
Poor balance, on the other hand, can stem from a variety of health issues, from dehydration and low blood pressure to vestibular disorders and Parkinson's disease. While core strengthening may be all you need, talk to your doctor if you're still having trouble staying stable.
Walking speed is slow
Walking speed as you age is actually closely linked to average life expectancy: People who walk at 1 meter per second or faster tend to live longer than those who walk more slowly, according to a study in JAMA. In fact, the study found that older adults who walk slower than 0.6 meters per second have an increased risk of early death.
“Walking requires energy, motor control, and support, and requires multiple organ systems, including the heart, lungs, circulatory, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems,” the authors explain. “Slow gait may reflect both compromised systems and the high energy expenditure of walking.”
You don't have to be a fast walker, but experts say healthy adults should be able to walk at least 2.7 miles per hour. If you feel like you're falling behind, remember that practice makes perfect: Walking more often—and doing some lower-body resistance training to build strength—will help you pick up the pace.
It is much more difficult to open bottles than before.
The occasional struggle to open a jar of pickles isn't a big deal, but people who regularly struggle to open a sealed bottle or lift a heavy suitcase tend to live less long than those with stronger grips, according to research published in the BMJ.
Physical fitness is more closely associated with mortality risk than high blood pressure, and a very important component of physical fitness is grip strength. Therefore, poor grip strength is correlated with poor overall health.
Simple activities like squeezing a ball, washing your car by hand, or carrying a shopping bag can help improve your grip strength.
Skin is always dry
Chronic dry skin is an often overlooked sign of aging — and it can make other, more obvious signs (like wrinkles) more prominent.
Natural skin has a slightly acidic pH, which is necessary for the proper functioning of enzymes involved in hydration and exfoliation. As we age, our skin is unable to maintain its normal pH, contributing to dryness and loss of radiance.
Want to get that glow back? Doctors recommend using an exfoliating cleanser and body wash. And don’t forget the SPF: Sunscreen has been shown to not only reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, but also prevent premature skin aging.
Waking up at “strange” hours
Even if you get enough sleep overall, waking up at “weird” hours—like 2:00, 3:00, or 4:00 a.m.—could mean you have a circadian rhythm disorder, which has been linked to premature aging. The same is true if you fall asleep much earlier in the evening than you used to.
To get your body clock back in sync, use the light box for 15 minutes at 8:00 PM. This will set your body clock back 3 hours, so you'll go to bed later and wake up at a more reasonable time.
