7 physical and mental changes that come with aging.
Everyone has their youth, everyone must grow old, and during the process of development, the human body undergoes a series of changes, silently and gently.
Among these, the following seven findings have recently been researched and verified by science.
1. As people get older, they become increasingly liberated.
Many people believe that as the body ages, a person's personality becomes more rigid and conservative, but this misconception is sometimes inaccurate. Evidence from a study of 46,000 Americans between 1972 and 2004 by experts at the University of Vermont and the University of Pennsylvania shows that as people age, their personalities and attitudes change. They are not as extreme as when they were young, and their thinking becomes "liberated" in all aspects, including economics, politics, gender, race, religion, and even issues related to sexuality.
For example, people in their 60s tend to be less conservative than those in their 30s. This is clearly demonstrated in elections, where older people often don't vote for conservative candidates but instead support rising new contenders; the results of the two recent US elections are a case in point.
2. The body's stem cells also begin to age.
Beneath the skin are stem cells, which begin to age gradually over the years, just like with age itself. According to research published in a recent issue of the journal PLOS, stem cells are responsible for reducing aging by replacing aging or damaged stem cells, but stem cells also age, their ability to regenerate declining as their host gets older.
The study was conducted on mice, in which scientists observed the growth of stem cells taken from the bone marrow of old and young mice. These cells were then injected into mice with bone marrow disease.
Initially, stem cells from both young and old mice developed into new cells at the same rate, but later, the growth rate of stem cells in older mice began to slow down significantly compared to younger mice. The study showed that genetics played a significant role; stem cells from older mice had higher levels of inflammation and stress compared to stem cells from younger mice.
Photo: thaythuocvietnam.vn
3. Why do people sleep less as they get older?
After studying 110 healthy adults who slept 8 hours a day, scientists found that the oldest group (55-83) slept 20 minutes less than the middle-aged group (40-55), and the middle-aged group slept 23 minutes less than the younger group (20-30). The simplest explanation for this phenomenon is that they spent less time with their eyes closed.
Another scientifically-based explanation is that as people age, their bodies don't need as much sleep. They may lie down a lot, but the time spent with their eyes closed is shorter, the quality of sleep decreases, and the amount of tossing and turning increases. This phenomenon is commonly seen in people over 65. There are many reasons for this, but key factors include age, sleep disorders, and illnesses that increase pain and anxiety, leading to insomnia.
4. Memory impairment
As people age, their physical attractiveness, appearance, and memory begin to decline. According to research by experts at the University of Toronto, Canada, memory declines and concentration decrease with age. However, this decline varies from person to person. In fact, memory decline begins as early as middle age. The decline in memory in the elderly depends on many factors such as brain shrinkage, genetics, lifestyle, diet, nutritional supplements, and environmental factors. In people with good memory and healthy brains, brain shrinkage still occurs in old age, but at a slower rate.
5. Everything starts to "sag".
As we age, our skin begins to age, skin cells die, leading to a phenomenon called epidermal degeneration. The skin becomes rough, its elasticity decreases, facial fat sinks into the skin layers, causing sagging and wrinkles. Although cosmetic procedures such as filler injections, cosmetic surgery, and chin lifts can improve sagging, surgery alone cannot solve all the problems, and ultimately, people leave it to chance.
Furthermore, aging causes tissue shrinkage, leaving the chin, cheeks, and eye sockets deeply sunken, essentially just "scaffolding." All attempts to restore the flesh around the eyes are unsuccessful due to age, high costs, and most importantly, the risk of post-surgical complications, infection, and paralysis. For this reason, many elderly people choose non-surgical solutions, focusing instead on overall health and no longer being overly concerned about their facial appearance.
6. Humor - a good remedy for senior citizens.
According to research conducted by Canadian scientists and recently published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, humor and frequent laughter are beneficial for senior citizens. In fact, many people remain humorous and witty in old age; this doesn't negatively impact their personality or morality and is good for their health. This personality trait leads to many positive health responses.
A study involving two groups of elderly individuals, all with hypertension and diabetes, who were given standard medication, showed that one group led a humorous lifestyle and laughed frequently, while the other group did not. After one year of testing, the group that laughed frequently experienced a reduction in epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones and a 26% increase in good HDL cholesterol, compared to only a 3% increase in the non-laughing group. Furthermore, the group that laughed frequently reduced C-reactive protein, a substance that causes inflammation and increases the risk of heart disease, by 66%, while the non-laughing group only saw a 26% reduction.
7. Elderly people always have a positive outlook on life.
Not only do many elderly people have a positive outlook on life, but they are also "towering pillars of support," role models and sources of spiritual strength for their children and grandchildren. Some even earn money to help their families. Elderly people are not a burden to their families or society, as many mistakenly believe. In fact, old age brings happiness to families and many benefits to the community and society. According to recent research from the University of Chicago, USA, since the 1970s, human life expectancy has increased, leading to increased wealth, happiness, and health. The research also found that older adults with a "rose-tinted lens" tend to be healthier and happier, even happier than younger people who cling to a meaningless, negative, or disease-ridden perspective.
According to Health & Life - NT
