Aging Myths

In the last 200 years, man’s life expectancy at the time of birth has doubled.  As animals go, we humans do pretty well in the longevity department.  As a result, people of advanced age tend to accumulate; indeed, according to WHO, between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 is set to double from 11% to 22%.

Many assumptions have accumulated concerning the process of aging.  Newly retired, you can throw me into the mix of those entering their “senior” stage of life, but it is nice to know that some of the assumptions are actually myths, and I am here to debunk some of them.

1. Physical deterioration is inevitable.  While not entirely untrue, since wear and tear does accumulate in one’s body, lifestyle changes can definitely slow the process down.  In fact, increased physically activity and a healthy diet can greatly attenuate, if not reverse, many of the problems associated with advancing age, such as a drop in strength, increased body fat, high blood pressure, and lower bone density.  And the importance of attitude cannot be discounted.  The results of one study indicated that when people expect a significant level of decline, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  So, maintain a positive outlook and stay active!

2. Senior adults should not exercise.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Keeping physically active definitely boosts muscle strength, reduces fat, and improves mental health at any age.  In one study, adults 60-80 years of age were put through a 42-week weight-lifting regime, and this led to significant increases in muscle size, strength and functional capacity.  I am a good case in point about the power of exercise, as faithfully working out at the YMCA three times per week the past 1.5 years has enabled me to discontinue two of my diabetes medications (exercise profoundly boosts insulin sensitivity).

3. Cognitive decline is inevitable.  In 2015, The Alzheimer’s Association reported that maintaining regular physical activity and managing cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, smoking and high blood pressure were strongly associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline.  I have written before about how studies with mouse models of Alzheimer’s that were kept mentally engaged supported this.  You can be proactive.

4. Older adults need more sleep.  This may be assumed because “we” often take naps.  But this is not usually because more sleep is needed per se.  Rather, seniors often have fragmented sleep, due to disrupted circadian (daily) rhythms or to factors such as arthritic joints (yes, my knees do talk to me at night), breathing issues, an enlarged prostate (sorry, men only), or certain medications.  The official recommended sleep requirement for persons over 65 is 7-8 hours per night.  On a more positive note, a study in the Journal of Sleep Research found that older adults may tolerate modest sleep deprivation better than younger adults.