8 myths about aging you should stop believing

1. Joint pain awaits everyone

Joint problems can be avoided if physical activity is not ignored. Australian scientists examined women between the ages of 40 and 67 and found that those who exercised at least 20 minutes twice a week had better cartilage. Therefore, moderate activity is the prevention of arthritis.

2. Bones become brittle and posture poor

Osteoporosis is common in older people, but not nearly as common as people think. When examining women over 100 years old, it turned out that only 56% of them had this diagnosis, and the disease began to manifest itself on average at 87 years of age. This data is especially optimistic when you consider that these women grew up at a time when little was known about diet and exercise that can strengthen bones.

3. Libido disappears

Decreased sex drive is a preventable factor, like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and depression. It is enough to keep yourself in good physical shape, for example, work out in the gym a couple of times a week.

According to doctors, usually sexual desire does not decrease until the age of 75. Researchers from the Institute for Successful Aging of New Jersey surveyed people over 60 and found Aging and Sexuality that 60% had regular physical contact during the previous year. For the rest, the obstacle was not the lack of desire, but of a partner.

4. Genes determine how you age

How even the healthiest set of genes will perform throughout life is largely determined by your exposure to chemicals and stress, what you eat, and how often you exercise. How you age is up to you.

5. Creativity fades over the years

There is no evidence that creativity declines with age. At the same time, creativity in maturity has a positive effect on the quality of life. George Washington University's The Creativity and Aging Study: The Impact of Professionally Conducted Cultural Programs on Older Adults found that older adults who joined the choir had better health outcomes than those who did not fulfill their creative potential. The choristers took less medication, felt less lonely, and displayed a more optimistic view of the world.

6. The brain stops developing

Research shows that the brain continues the New theory of synapse formation in the brain to form new neural connections and strengthen existing ones throughout life - as long as you give it problems to solve. Therefore, one should not neglect the training of this important organ.

7. The brain shrinks with age

Studies in the early 2000s showed that the hippocampus - the part of the brain that is responsible for memory - was smaller in older people than in younger people. However, it was later shown that chronic stress Cortisol levels during human aging predict hippocampal atrophy and memory deficits, and not age, affects brain size. So, when scanning the contents of the skulls of people from 18 to 25 years old, it was found that 25% of them have a hippocampus of the same volume as representatives of the group aged 60 to 75 years.

8. Older people are always moody and unhappy

Researchers in Germany interviewed 40 centenarians and found Adaptation in very old age: Exploring the role of resources, beliefs, and attitudes for centenarians' happiness. that despite significant physical and mental problems, 71% of them are happy. The respondents noted that they are as satisfied with their lives as they were years before. So a positive attitude towards yourself and the world must be protected from a young age.