In modern society a lot of value is placed on maintaining our youth for as long as we can, but no matter how many products you use to try and keep that youthful glow, we all get old. However, as we get older it doesn’t mean that everything is going to go downhill. There are many positive effects to getting older, both mental and emotional!
It is true that younger brains are speedier and have a better short-term memory, however as our brains get older we get better at things like problem solving and dealing with more complex tasks. Studies have shown that those aged 40 to 60 years old were better on inductive reasoning, vocabulary and spatial orientation tests than those in their 20s.
Stress Levels Drop Significantly After Age 50
It has also been shown that we become happier as we age! The part of the brain that is responsible for emotional stability, called the amygdala, improves with age. This means that older people are better at regulating their emotions than younger people. Emotions such as anger and sadness.
When we get older we are also more comfortable in our skins and tend to care less about what people think about us. We don’t really care about “fitting in” or what it is to be successful, which in turn reduces the amount of stress we have, and as we all know, lower stress leads to a happier, healthier life.
Years of Exposures to Viruses Can Build Up Immunity
Although health-wise our bodies tend to develop more problems as we age, there are still some benefits. It has been shown that although people over the age of 65 are more likely to contract normal flu, they are much less likely to contract some of the more serious flu pandemics. Scientists say that this is because the immune systems remembers that it was exposed to these viruses in earlier life and learns to defend against them. Whereas, younger people have not had the years of exposure and have not built up this immunity.
After years and years of working, older people generally have more money saved up and can live more comfortably. They typically don’t have the demands of work or children and can engage in the activities that the enjoy. Experts have described the last 10-15 years of a person’s life as the “happiest” years of their life, so go out there and enjoy it!
For Your Health,
Dr. Frederick Savard
