Regardless of how long you live, time takes a toll on our bodies. Though you might not think you’re invincible, you can take steps to live healthier as you head to the prime of your life. These are some of the more common physiological functions that begin to break down as we age, and that you should be addressing, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Bones, muscles and joints
Your bones reach their maximum mass between ages 25 and 35. As you age, your bones shrink in size and density. Gradual loss of density weakens your bones and makes them more susceptible to fracture. Muscles, tendons and joints generally lose some strength and flexibility as you age.
Brain and nervous system
The number of cells in your brain decreases with age, and your memory becomes less efficient. However, in some areas of your brain, the number of connections between the cells increases, perhaps helping to compensate for the aging neurons and maintain cognitive function. Your reflexes tend to become slower. You also tend to become less coordinated.
Eyes
With age, your eyes are less able to produce tears, your retinas thin, and your lenses gradually turn yellow and become less clear. In your 40s, focusing on objects that are close up may become more difficult. Later, the colored portions of your eyes (irises) stiffen, making your pupils less responsive. This can make it more difficult to adapt to different levels of light. Other changes to your lenses can make you sensitive to glare, which presents a problem when driving at night. Cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration are the most common problems of aging eyes.
Muscle Mass
Muscle mass declines with age, starting in the 40s and picking up speed after about age 50. Then the typical rate of muscle loss really begins to outpace the rate of muscle gain. The kind of decline in muscle mass that weakens an already frail elderly person so much that he or she is more prone to falls and can’t lift a small bag of groceries onto the counter is something to worry about. Some data suggests that men who lift weights a few times a week in their 50s and 60s can maintain their muscle mass, not simply slow the rate of decline, in those years. But to be healthy, muscle tissue needs to effectively store glycogen and have capillaries that infuse it with blood, both of which are aided by the aerobic component.
Cardiovascular system
Over time, your heart muscle becomes a less efficient pump, working harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body. Also, your blood vessels become less elastic. Hardened fatty deposits may form on the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis), narrowing the passageway through the vessels. The natural loss of elasticity, in combination with atherosclerosis, makes your arteries stiffer, causing your heart to work even harder to pump blood through them. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension).