The Positive Side Of Aging

First off the needing less sleep gives you more time to enjoy family, friends, nature, hobbies and life. According to one study published in the journal Current Biology from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard Medical School, seniors need about one and a half hours less sleep on average than younger counterparts. 

When it comes right down to it being happy comes down to attitude, and studies have shown this. One study published in the journal Cortex revealed that older adults whose brains seem to be wired to remember the good times may be linked to the way the brain processes emotional contents, and this may be why they wore rose coloured glasses. In the study older adults showed strong connections between brain regions that process emotions important to formation of memories and processing positive information not found in younger participants. Another study published in the journal Psychology suggests that as a person ages to their older years they focus on what makes them feel good rather than the negative which lends to optimism and happiness to go beyond just recalling happy moments of the past. 

For those that like family but want to skip the frustrations you can possibly enjoy grandkids. Very often grandparents can do no wrong in the eyes of grandkids and vice versa. According to research Grands can help increase the chances of a child surviving the high risk periods of infancy and childhood in traditional societies, and they make a substantial public health contribution to society. A study published in the journal Pediatrics revealed that children cared for by a Grand were 50% less likely to get injured than those in daycare or cared for by other relatives, including the child’s own mother. 

When it comes to wisdom aged adults are generally a wealth of information. Who doesn’t enjoy listening to their Grand tell stories of back in the day or repeat family stories passed down from generation to generation, as well as folklore and traditions. Sometimes they may have a tougher time tuning out irrelevant information but the lack of focus can boost memory according to a study published in the journal Psychological Science. Seniors appear to be able to hyper-bind irrelevant information and connect it to other information that is appearing at the same time which may help with decision making and problem solving. 

Contrary to what you may have been told sex doesn’t have to stop unless directed to by a certified medical professional, as sex drive appears to stay strong as you age. One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine surveying adults between the ages of 57-85 found that over half of those aged 75-85 reported having sex at least 2-3 times a month with 23% reporting having sex at least once a week. Other sexual contact such as oral sex also appears to be ageless as nearly 60% of those under the age of 65 reported engaging in the act in the past year as well as 31% of those over the age of 75.

Aging is a part of life which we can't avoid, yet, so why not make the most of it. We are living longer and healthier, aging is not what it once was, break that outdated negative mindset. Get out there and have fun, enjoy the time you have, there is a big world out there waiting to be explored. Go dancing, hiking, running, traveling, take up a leisure sport like tennis, snorkel, bird watch, take the grandkids to the zoo, museum or mini-golfing, the possibilities are endless. Just be positive, active and enjoy.