Slowing down as you get older - what does it mean?

[GreenMushrooms]

Inspired by one of the threads on age gap relationships, I would love to know what kind of changes younger people can expect as they age. Specifically into 40s, 50s age 60s: Pre-retirement.

For example, I've seen on other threads posters talking about people "wanting to slow down in their 50s". What does this mean? What kind of thing were you doing in your 30s and 40s, which you don't do in your 50s due to "slowing down"? Or what changes have you noticed in others or do you expect to see in yourself?

For context, I'm 36 and I feel pretty slow already, and I can imagine getting slower (e.g. I do similar things to my older colleagues and parents). What are other people doing in their 30s that they won't do in their 50s?

Kids are reared and my parents have passed so I have less caring duties and can go at my own speed now esp at weekends and really savour and enjoy something simple like a swim or walk in nature not having to constant check my phone in case someone needs me to do an errand or give a lift somewhere.

We’ve both slowed down at work. Neither of us actively chase overtime. Diy projects at home are done in a timely manner rather than rushed, maybe we’ve realised that a house that’s stood for over 100 years isn’t going to fall down because of unpainted walls. Plus some projects we now actively outsource to professionals as we don’t bounce to well falling off ladders.
and everything @Webbing has said. (Minus kids as we don’t have any).

I'm in my late 50s, I'm not sure I've 'slowed down' really. I am going to retire in a couple of years, so I'm actively planning what things I'll be doing. Not buying loads of work clothes because won't need them soon (I make things last 😂). Kids are grown up and I'm divorced, so I can please myself, so I suppose I do that more now, but otherwise 🤷‍♀️

You definitely don't have to slow down. In my 50s, as my children left home, I took a big promotion in my career. Then in my mid 60s I retired, just as my first DGC started to be born, and I began to take on childcare duties. Now I'm in my mid 70s, still doing childcare at least three days a week, often four, and walking whenever I have any free time. No intention of slowing down any time soon.

I've retired now (61) and enjoy having time to do as much or as little in a day as I want. Some days I'm full of energy and go to the gym or a swim. Other days I stay in bed till 10 and then virtually laze about doing nothing.
Everybody's different but I find it the ability to not HAVE to do things at a certain time that is good. Yes I've slowed down but my priorities are different. As a PP said - kids grown up, no parents left but I have an adorable little grandson and I can just hop on a bus or train and visit him any time I like.
Slowing down is good but I think some people might view it as giving up on things.

I look at my 29 year old son dashing from one activity to another using public transport as well as working full time at a physical job and doing a college course, and I think, "That was me, once."

60 next year and I’ve noticed that I’ve become more cautious in the past five years. Things like carefully climbing down when I’ve stood on a windowsill to hang curtains. 5 years ago, I’d have just jumped down. Again, when I go for a walk, I’ll walk down slopes now or step carefully across streams rather than running down or leaping across as I would have just a few years ago. Find I need more sleep now and it takes a while to catch up after late nights out or travelling.

We are mid 60s and haven't slowed down! However we choose what we want to do, and don't do other things.
So we don't do childcare for dh's grandchildren, but we go away a lot and look after our health. Still working but the hours we want.

I’m in my mid 40s and the only way so far I’ve actively slowed is that on holiday whereas in the past I might do an activity in the morning, afternoon and then go out in the evening, now I much prefer doing one thing, then having a nice sit down with a book before going out for dinner.
I don’t feel the need to cram my days full.

also, my kids are a little older now - when they were small we would always go out somewhere every day of the weekend, whereas now we often have a day where we might go for a nice walk and the rest of time we potter at home.

To be fair, it was more that when they were younger we felt like we should be out and about whereas now their school day is long and I feel less like I have to fill the weekends too.

Late 50s. Still active: walking, swimming, horse riding etc. Working part time now. Not trying to do things around young children as I did for years. That's slowing down for me.

Late 50’s here. Just going for a promotion at work, travelling loads, bit more careful walking as I have knee problems but otherwise having the time of my life.

Not as up for late nights, not got the energy I had in my 20s and 30s, feeling joint pain more and more. But still up for travel and new experiences, new frinds and learning.

In my mid 50s, still working full time, DH the same. We have found that we have less energy on a weekend to do stuff and where at one point we might have been busy both days and nights we now just plan one thing over the weekend.

Still walk a lot, still swim and go to the gym but joints are now hurting where they didn't before and menopause weight gain is the Bain of my life!

We don't have to rush around after kids anymore and it's nice being able to do just stuff we want to rather than have to do. So yes we are slower than we used to be, but happy with it

Slowing down is for us getting more tired quickly. In the old days I could party all night and not need days to recover. We get worn out with very busy periods and have to pace ourselves more carefully.

Still very much enjoy our lives, and doing amazing things. I appreciate my health more.

This ^

Mid fifties here. Slower in that it take me longer to pick things up - I work full time and work requires a lot of mental concentration, so things that I would have picked up after one or two read throughs now takes three or four (or five). Definitely less energy than I had thirty years ago, but still a very full life.

I'm mid 40s and said to someone that I was starting to prefer staying home at weekends, prefer a dog walk to a full day out, easier holidays etc. She was absolutely horrified that I was already "giving up on life".

I'm 50 and seem to be gathering speed!

Used to roll around on the floor cuddling my dog, - still do but within the last year I can’t jump up like I used to. Knees are feeling very achey, dh and I try and do a 5-8 mile walk every weekend or other weekend, but we both have a problem with our left knees now and mindful of not pushing it. This is particularly annoying as I am very keen to do some long trail walking in the future., and not sure if this will be possible.

At work, I have definitely noticed a slowing down in the last 5 years (54 to 59), I’ve heard before that late 50’s can feel a marked difference just from mid 50’s, and I am personally finding that.

I didn’t feel I really slowed down in my 50s, but certainly started to feel much more easily tired once I started doing some regular childcare in my later 60s.

For context, I'm 36 and I feel pretty slow already,

Slowing down is largely an outdated social construct of what an older person "naturally" does at a certain age.

Obviously, there are painful conditions that occur. But for most people, it's essentially "use it or lose it" - and you sound as if you have already set yourself up for losing it.

Haven’t slowed down but physically I don’t recover as quickly when I fall off horses or when I ski. Actively working on physical health now, so more weight training, working with a sports therapist etc. I want to do more physical activities now. Went whitewater rafting yesterday. Think I have found a new hobby :)

I'm in my mid 60s still working FT as a project manger. I don't feel I've slowed down there but I am a lot more cynical! Still walking, horse riding etc. Holidays are still very active and I hate not being busy.

No intention to slow down.
Just going to channel all the excess energy and love once kids are done with input into other things.
Some caution with activities that might break a bone say occurs because recovery becomes longer and more complicated.

I do think I prefer more slower paced music than when I was 20 mind.