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. Also, you can get more information on maintaining a low cardiovascular risk from your doctor. They will advise you on various lifestyle changes and medications that can help keep your heart healthy.
2. Brain And The Nervous ystem
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
Aging forces your bones to shrink, which means your bones may become shorter with time. Accordingly, you may find yourself being fractured easily, taking longer to recover to muscle, tendon, and joint injuries. Workout is recommended to slow these effects. Your doctors may also recommend a change in diet to help you cope.
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
Aging comes with a lot of vision changes. For instance, it is common for your lens to stiffen, forcing you to use help to see things. You may also experience difficulty in reading in a low-light environment and become colour blind. Lastly, your eyes may not be able to produce 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.
