Question! If you got paid every time someone said “you’re not getting older, you’re getting better”, how stuffed would your childhood piggy bank be? No matter how it is said, we hear it as “you’re getting older and you’re not getting better.
I am here to tell you that no less a source than National Geographic says we ARE getting better! They do science, don’t they? So here’s the scoop.
Spoiler alert: All the improvements are to your MENTAL health.
“NG” posted a list of ways your health actually IMPROVES as you age.
1. WE get better at handling stress. A study in 2023 found that seniors produce less cortisol, and you also just get USED to stress. “Older people have a lot more ability to understand stressful or difficult circumstances.”
I had entire eras in my life that were non-stop stress, and I always heard helpful but annoying things like “this too shall pass”. If you live long enough, you realize “this”, whatever it is, will go away or become more manageable. Experience becomes our best friend.
2. We become more emotionally resilient. When stressful stuff does happen, you’re better equipped to bounce back from it. It’s the Serenity Prayer, really. We accept the things we cannot change and stop wasting time on them.
3. We stop caring about what everyone else thinks. This is a big one. As we age, we tend to stop comparing ourselves to other people so much. It lets you focus on the things that actually make us happy.
Many of us still spend time on social media, which can become a community courthouse of judgment and negativity. I refuse the summons. Social media friends come and go, and I’m not giving it the power to make or break my day- because at the end of that day, who gives a damn?
4. Your sex life might improve. People in relationships often report that their sex life gets better in their 50s and beyond. It may take all night to do what we used to do all night, but that’s ok. Science has stepped up to help men and women with various sexual health issues, but the desire doesn’t vanish, so why not enjoy?
5. Happiness peaks again. How happy we are tends to follow a U-shaped curve. We’re happy in our early 20s. . . a little less happy in our 30s and 40s. . . but then it rebounds. Studies show you might not hit peak happiness until your 60s, or even 70s.
I have found that to be true, in part because of Points 1-4! These are the gifts of time!
“Old” changes with time. When I was 20, a woman 7 years my senior got aggressive with me in the “privacy” of the radio station music library. She was good looking, nice bod- but at 20, 27 seemed OLD. Just for the record, 27 seems way too young. My name is Budell, not Belichick (though good luck with that one Billy Boy!).
In a related story, GEN Z (under 30) was asked in a recent survey, “What age do you consider old?”.The answer? 35! I’d pick that as the best age. We’ve made and learned from mistakes. We know what we want and what we are doing. We have become a brand around 35. Our bodies are years from true aging. 35 as “old” is just absurd, but perception is reality. I’m not mad at GEN Z because I get it. They will learn as they hit that benchmark and realize they’re just taking off and with less baggage.
Without getting into specific age points, I’ve compiled a list (with help) of aging signs that can occur at any point in life:
The hair on top of your ear is longer than the hair on top of your head. (no)
You attend school board meetings. (Yes!)
You have a pickleball injury. (not yet)
You enlarged your iPhone font. (only a little)
Your favorite thing to buy at Costco? Prunes. Your second favorite thing to buy at Costco? Shorts. (No prunes for me.)
Crypto scares you. (totally)
You know your primary care physician’s first name. (yes)
You use the handrail when you climb stairs. (Yep)
After sipping a cocktail, you said the phrase, “Whoa, too strong.” (teetotaler)
You recognize the song playing overhead at CVS. (I was a DJ for many years, so call it a career benefit!)
You regret your tattoos, as that butterfly returns to a cocoon-like shape.
Science has also confirmed one other adage from our BOOMerhoods- opposites attract! A study on relationships confirmed that almost HALF of successful relationships involve partners with seemingly little in common. Examples:
- One person is always cold, the other’s always hot.
- One’s a saver, the other’s a spender.
- One’s a planner, the other likes to go with the flow.
- One’s an early bird, the other a night owl.
- One is open about their feelings, and the other keeps things bottled up.
- One likes to wake up slowly, the other jumps out of bed ready to go.
- One’s a chatterbox, the other’s quiet.
- One’s tidy, the other’s a slob.
- One loves big parties, the other would rather stay home.
- One loves spicy food, and the other one can’t handle heat.
There’s only one scenario where the opposites attract paradigm can’t possibly work. One likes BOOM Magazine and the other doesn’t. Enjoy your August!
Greg Budell has lived in Montgomery for 20 years. A 50+ year veteran of radio, TV and writing, Greg hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Susan Woody, and Jay Scott, 6-9 AM Monday – Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6 PM for Happy Hour with Pamela Dubuque and a variety of sidekicks. His favorite topic is life! Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com.