GeneralPhysical Changes As You Age

Age brings about a range of different physical changes. Here are some of the most common.

Bones

As people get older, their bones tend to lose mass and get weaker. This is especially prevalent among post-menopausal women and can lead to osteoporosis.

As your bones reduce in size and strength, you become more vulnerable to falls, which can potentially lead to severe injuries. And your body’s ability to heal from such injuries deteriorated as you grow older. If you are struggling to get around as you once did, this doesn’t have to stop you socialising and doing things you love. Easypaymobility have a variety of solutions to help keep you mobile.

This reduced ability to heal is linked to a weakened immunity resulting from old age. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among seniors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Heart

Your heart becomes slightly larger, pumps less blood, and its wall may thicken.

The Brain and Nervous System

As we age, our senses and reflexes usually start to diminish. Some may also experience slight memory loss. And, in some cases, tangles and plaques may form causing damage to the brain and nerve cells. All these factors put you at increased risk of developing dementia.

The Digestive System

Your digestion and metabolism will start to slow down as you age. This is caused by the digestive tract becoming more rigid and firmer and failing to contract properly to push food to the various processing stations in the gastrointestinal tract.

This ultimately leads to constipation, nausea, and stomach pain. The body also starts to produce less stomach acid and saliva. These bodily changes can lead to choking and food-borne illnesses since it becomes harder for the body to get rid of harmful bacteria.

Your Senses

The body’s reaction to external stimuli gets weaker – stimulation takes more time and energy. This usually results in a reduced sense of taste, smell, vision, and taste.

And as a result of a weakened sense of smell and taste, you may experience reduced appetite, which is bad news for your health. What’s more, a compromised sense of taste and smell can put you in harm’s way, for example, you may not be able to tell whether the food you are consuming has gone bad, which can result in food poisoning.

Your Teeth

As you get older, the enamel (the outer layer of your teeth that protects them from decay) starts to wear out, putting you at greater risk of getting cavities. As you advance in age, you become more prone to suffering gum disease.

Gum loss associated with old age may cause your teeth to look longer and shaky. You will find yourself with a dry mouth most of the time – a common side effect of most of the medication for seniors.

The Skin

You’ll start to see wrinkles form on your skin as you advance in age caused by the skin losing its elasticity. This is more evident among seniors who smoke.

Your Sex Life

Menopause in women may cause physical changes like lack of lubrication and vaginal dryness while men may experience erectile dysfunction.

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