Some of the Effects Caused by Aging for Men and Women

As you grow older your body begins to show the tell-tale signs of aging. You may experience bouts of sleeplessness, notice more wrinkles forming daily, your hair thinning and have trouble maintaining a healthy weight. The good news is that these are all common with old age and there are ways to combat them. 

Wrinkles and Sagging Skin

As you age you start to lose the elasticity that keeps skin firm and the natural oils that keep it moisturized. This slow process starts with a few small lines and then leads to deep wrinkles and noticeably drier skin. Luckily, there are ways to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and restore moisture to the skin. If you don't want to have surgery you can opt to use a peel or scrub, or moisturizers that contain collagen, Retin-A, and peptides. It's also beneficial to avoid direct sunlight and when spending a day outdoors that you protect your head by wearing a hat and use sunscreen on your face and body.

Bladder Control Issues

Many people, men, and women experience a loss of bladder control as they age. Maybe you laugh or sneeze or have sudden urges and no time to make it to the restroom and you then leak. This can be due to weak or overactive bladder muscles, a weak pelvis, damage to nerves and blockage due to an enlarged prostate. There are ways to correct this through surgery. However, if you don't want to have the surgery, you can use incontinence pads offered by companies like Men's Liberty.

Hair Loss

As you grow older you may experience hair loss. This is a normal aging process wherein hair gradually begins to thin on areas of the body such as the scalp, legs, pubic area, and under your armpits. This is caused by a decline in pigment cells and hair follicles not producing at the same rate as when you are younger. Generally, once a man reaches the age of 60 years he will have some thinning and even bald areas on the scalp. For women, this can happen too after menopause. There are topical solutions available over the counter that can help restore hair slowly. However, if you have highly-visible thin or bald spots you may need to have hair implants to restore your hair.

Weight Gain

As you grow older your metabolism begins to slow. For men and women who love to eat large meals, this can cause them to gain weight. Unfortunately, if you compound the reduced metabolism with a less active lifestyle you are going to gain weight. Thankfully, you are in control of your weight. If you enjoy eating meals with a high caloric intake join a gym, walk or swim several times a week to burn up the added calories. Or, you can cut back on the amount you eat by eating a light breakfast or dinner and enjoying your favorite foods at lunch. Instead of eating dessert nightly have it as a treat once a week.

Fitness

Staying fit is important at any age, but as you grow older it becomes harder to maintain muscle mass. The good news is that it's not impossible to get physically fit in your 50s, 60s or even your 70s. The solution is to remain active. You can play golf, join a gym or take long walks or go dancing. In between your workouts you should also add a bit of spring to your steps and get out and enjoy living. Any form of activity is going to help you to age well and keep your body’s internal organs functioning properly.

Sleeplessness

Women and men may start to have trouble falling and staying asleep as they grow older. There are many reasons why this can happen including types of medication, underlying health problems, depression, anxiety, inactivity or bladder issues. If you take several medications and have trouble sleeping check with your doctor to see if there's another medication you can take. If you feel tired early in the day and nap for an hour, try avoiding the nap. If you feel anxious or depressed you can talk to your family or see a therapist.

It's natural to experience changes in your appearance and your body as you grow older. If you feel that any of the changes you are going through are alarming make an appointment with your doctor to make certain that something more serious isn't going on.

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.