How old would you say you are? Imagining a younger you
Science says the adage you are only as old as you feel is true.
Imagine a society with no birth certificates, where your age is based on how you feel inside.
Sure, the number of years since you first entered the world is an unchangeable fact. But everyday experience suggests that we often do not experience ageing the same way, with many people feeling older or younger than they are.
It is called subjective ageing, and researchers and policymakers are paying attention to it.
Its importance does not end there. Numerous studies show your subjective age also can predict various health outcomes, including your risk of death. In some ways, you are only as old as you feel.
Researchers are now looking into many biological, psychological, and social factors that shape the individual experience of ageing – and how this knowledge might help us live longer healthier lives.
Feeling younger than your years seems to lower the risk of depression and greater mental well-being as we age. It also means better health, including reducing your risk of dementia, and lowering the chance of hospitalisation for illness.
Tim Windsor is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology at Flinders University. In an interview with Radio National recently, he spoke about the research being conducted into subjective ageing.
“People studying gerentology are increasingly interested in the extent to which our beliefs about our own ageing might actually be consequential for our behaviours and our health.
“We are interested in finding out whether increasing awareness of gains that can be associated with getting older may offset some of the difficulties for maintaining good mental health that can arise as some of the losses that can happen with ageing,” he explained.
Positivity and optimism are key to combating ageing, but it isn’t strictly happiness that keeps people feeling younger. Instead, Windsor believes keeping engaged with life is an important part of maintaining healthy ageing. And even if physical ailments get in the way of such positive engagement, the research shows that people are great at adapting and finding different ways to engage.
When it comes to staying healthy throughout life, the lessons and advice we’ve been given will keep us on track.
Dr Kate Gregorevic, geriatrician, Internal Medicine Physician, and author of Staying alive: the science of living healthier, happier, and longer, believes that the secret to staying healthy is not a surprise to most of us.
Dr Gregorevic says: “We’ve got really good evidence that exercise, getting enough sleep, and eating your vegetables are really great for your longevity.
“With exercise, the ideal exercise routine is a combination of cardiovascular exercise, swimming, fast walking, running (if you’re up to it), as well as strength training.”
Her emphasis on strength training shouldn’t be ignored - it is increasingly important, as when people get older, they start to lose muscle mass. This tends to impact women more than men, but strength training is important regardless of gender. A loss of muscle mass can make the simplest of tasks more difficult, like getting in and out of chairs.
While exercise may seem like a bit of a downer for some people, Dr Gregorevic does have some advice which is really the best advice that anyone can be given: have fun.
“It is underrated how important it is to have fun in life. There’s this concept from the ancient Greeks about having two different types of happiness: the one that is longer term, having a purpose in life. But also a bit of hedonism – things to look forward to,” Dr Gregorevic said.
