6 Key Changes Your Body Will Go Through As You Age
As you age, your body starts going through many changes. On the outside, it is possible to see the physical changes that will take place. Accordingly, there is a lot that happens in your internal organs also. Knowing these body changes and how to deal with them can help you stay more comfortable and healthier.
Here are the body changes you can expect as you age.
1. Cardiovascular System (The Heart)
Some of the body changes you will experience in your cardiovascular system include stiffening blood vessels, which forces your heart to work harder to pump blood. The good news is that your heart muscles will adjust to the new workload. However, the bad news is that changes in the cardiovascular system come with the risks of high blood pressure and other heart-related issues. The best way to deal with these changes is to exercise more, eat a healthy diet, quit smoking, and get enough rest, especially sleep.
2. Brain And The Nervous System
With aging comes the loss of cells, which include brain cells. With time you start experiencing memory loss, which your brain fights by increasing the number of brain cells for better functionality. However, you will notice that your reflexes are slow as you become easy to distract. To deal with changes in your brain and the nervous system, you have to engage in more physical activities. Additionally, doctors recommend some games that improve coordination.
3. Bones, Muscles, And Joints
With aging, your bones start to get shorter. It will take more time to recover the injuries of muscles, tendons, and joints and you may get fractured very easily which means you have to care a lot about yourself. A healthy diet and workout are the things recommended by doctors to lessen these effects.
4. Kidneys And The Urinary Tract
With time, your kidneys will shrink in size due to the decreasing number of cells. Additionally, blood circulation in the kidney is affected as the ability to filter blood reduces. Dehydration becomes more likely as you also stand at high risk of urinary tract infections. The solution may involve using UTI medicine, reducing your intake of salt and sugars, and seeking immediate medication for further diagnosis.
5. Eyes
Vision can be affected a lot by aging. Your lens gets thick which results in applying a strong force to see things. You may turn color blind and may also face uneasiness in reading in a low-light environment. It is the last stage that your eyes will not be able to generate tears.
Dealing with vision changes requires diagnosis. In most cases, doctors will recommend glasses and advise you to stay away from brighter objects. For instance, you may need to reduce the contrast in your screens.
6. Ears
You should expect the loss of hearing as you age. For instance, you may start experiencing challenges with speech or hearing higher-pitched sounds. Accordingly, communication in busy environments may be a challenge.
The solution to changes in your ears should come from a visit to your care provider. However, you may be advised to avoid noisy places or use earbuds when working with loud objects. In some instances, you may be advised to buy a hearing aid.
The bottom line
Once you know the body changes to expect as you age and follow the recommended tips, you will age healthily.
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