Something we humans are great at is convincing ourselves that we’re not as old as we are, even if no one else is buying it. If you’re from Generation X or even an early Millennial, it’s time to face the truth: you’re old or getting there.
(You Boomers already are!?) Following are some classic signs, some funny and some not so much, that you’re getting old. And remember– being old is sometimes more a state of mind than body!
Complaining More Often
As people get older, they tend to start complaining about things more, especially when they compare the present day to the world when they were younger. If you ever include something like “Back in my day” in something you say, you’re officially old!
Finding Kids Annoying
Crying babies, unruly children, and loud teens are favorite topics of scorn for many older people. They’re also more likely to go to child-free resorts and activities. Saying “kids these days” is another thing that automatically qualifies you as old!
Using Reading Glasses
Most people experience deterioration in their vision as they age. One of the biggest tells is having trouble reading small print when it’s up close. Giving in and buying some reading glasses may not make you look that cool, but it does improve things.
Eating Less
As we get older, our metabolism slows down. One effect of this is having less appetite than you used to, which might be a good thing since that slower metabolism also makes weight gain more likely.
Having Less Energy
Another effect of that slower metabolism is having less energy. You’ll often find that you can still perform activities you always have, just that it’s slower and with less vigor.
Driving Slower
Complaints about old people driving too slowly have been around ever since people started driving. While not every old driver is a slowpoke, this observation is valid; for a variety of reasons, older drivers tend to drive more slowly than all other age groups.
Losing Hair
For some men, baldness is genetic, and it can start in their twenties or earlier. Just about everyone experiences some thinning in the hair as they age, though, even if they don’t go bald.
Growing Hair Where You Don’t Want It
On the flip side, you might also start growing hair in places where you don’t want it. Good examples include the shoulders, ears, and nose (everyone has nose hair, but it sometimes gets a lot thicker when you’re older).
Taking Naps
That slower metabolism also leads to us getting tired more easily, and old people naturally take more naps than others do, except for infants. But that’s not such a bad thing, is it?
Stiffness
Feeling stiff and sore is more common the older you get. Related to this is that after strenuous physical activity, recovery takes longer than it used to. Maybe you can still do that 20-mile bike ride, but you’re going to be feeling it much longer.
Cracking
Cracking in the joints and the back is also common in older people, though it often starts when you’re middle-aged. What’s worse is that this can be an indicator of arthritis setting in.
Becoming Forgetful
We often associate memory lapses with dementia or the onset of it, but that’s not exclusively so. The truth is that our brains just aren’t as sharp at 60 as they were at 30, which is why we’re more likely to forget names, where we left the car keys, etc. That’s just a random number; many active sexagenarians insist that 60 isn’t old!
Struggling with Technology
An age-old sign of being old is struggling to use new, modern technology. Old people are infamous for actually flat-out refusing to embrace it at all; just ask any younger adult who has struggled to get senior parents to use smartphones and texting.
Not Knowing Any Popular Songs
You know you’re old when you look at the list of the day’s popular songs and don’t recognize a single title or artist. That’s okay– we all know the stuff we grew up with is the best, anyway!
The Music’s Too Loud
Speaking of music, maybe the most classic giveaway that you’ve gotten old is complaining about the volume, whether it’s at a concert, a bar, in the car, or anywhere else. Here’s a little secret: the music hasn’t gotten louder; you’ve gotten older. As teens have been saying for generations, “If it’s too loud, you’re too old!”