Questions About Ageing And Health: Debunking The Myths

Ageing is something that happens to us all; one of the great levelers, and yet there is a lot that we don’t talk about when it comes to getting older. As a result, misconceptions can easily arise and some of the ideas we carry around with us cause us to worry unnecessarily. Others prevent us from making key decisions in planning for the future; in this article we are going to meet head-on some of the questions we’re often too fearful to ask. As a result, we’ll all understand a bit better what later life truly entails. 

Will I get dementia? 

It’s something many of us fear as we think about the second half of our lives; some of us assume that memory loss and cognitive decline are an inevitable part of ageing. Here’s the thing: only one in six people over the age of 80 develop dementia. In other words, the vast majority of older adults maintain their cognitive abilities in their more advanced years.

For sure, the risk increases with age, but factors like staying physically and mentally active, eating a balanced and healthy diet, and maintaining a social structure have all been linked to a decreased risk of dementia. Keeping your brain engaged - whether by reading, doing puzzles or learning new skills - can also contribute to long-term cognitive health.

Do people die of old age? 

It’s a - slightly lazy - generalization that when someone passes away in their advanced years they have died of “old age”, but medically speaking, it’s not a thing. When a person dies at this stage of their life, there is always a cause beyond age. What is true is that as we age, our bodies do become more vulnerable to things like heart disease, infections, and organ failure. In truth, it’s just the percentages coming into play: we all have to die of something, and the longer you’re alive the greater the chance becomes. 

What this does mean is that in your advanced years, you don’t need to simply accept decline. Regular checkups, eating well staying active - and just generally working with your body - mean that old age doesn’t need to be about decline.

Is it too early to think about making a will?

The short answer to this is “no”. Even if you’re a relatively young adult it’s not a bad idea to start thinking about making a will. Here’s why: Even if you don’t own significant assets, a will can be a way to outline personal preferences such as guardianship arrangements for children. It can allow you to lay down specifics on what you want to happen with your remains after you have passed. It can also give you the chance to distribute items that may not have significant material value but are of sentimental importance.  

In the event of premature death, having these things down in black and white can make things easier on your loved ones. And a will can always be updated as you get older and circumstances change. Of course, it’s not something we like to think about, but making official arrangements means you don’t need to think about it as much. 

Do you shrink as you get older? 

The truth of the matter is that we can all expect to lose between one and two inches in height between the ages of 30 and 70. There are a few reasons for this: spinal compression over time; loss of bone density; and changes in posture. The process can be slowed, however, and eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, engaging in weight-bearing exercises such as yoga and walking, and taking care of our posture means that no noticeable loss of height need take place.

Do we sleep less as we age? 

There is no marked difference in the amount of sleep we need as we get into our later years. What does often change is the sleeping patterns we adopt, although it is in question how much of this is due to biology and how much is down to routine. Post-retirement, you are likely to notice that you wake up earlier, and may sleep lighter overall. Poor sleep, however, is not an inevitable consequence of ageing and should not be taken as just one of those things. 

Creating a bedtime routine, reducing screen time before bed, and getting plenty of exposure to natural light in the daytime should help regulate sleep patterns. If you find that you are sleeping less than you would like, and it is impairing your function during the day, it is worth speaking to a doctor - as better sleep will reduce health issues that could spoil an otherwise healthy old age.

Health changes with age are inevitable, but not as much as we might imagine, and poor health is not a given. By keeping your mind engaged and taking control of your health, you could find that old age is the most rewarding and content phase of your life.

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