To ask if there is anything I can do to stop myself slowing down as I age?

[Fraudornot]

Reached a significant birthday recently so feeling the years tick away. I’m still very physically fit but wondering about the other aspects where I can see myself slowing down - examples such as how slow I am on my phone, taking so long to get out to do things, it just generally taking longer for things like figuring out directions. Does anyone know what I mean and is there anything that can be done or is it inevitable?

Keep moving, keep learning, keep doing.

No big secret there.

Don’t retire! Every retired person I know ages physically and mentally quicker than those who keep working.

Intellectually is very much the same as physically. Keep challenging yourself. Keep engaging with the world. Keep up with technology. And yes, keep working - or studying, or volunteering, or something. Use it or lose it.

What’s wrong with slowing down?

What age are you talking about?!

Some slowing down is inevitable. But do you want to rot prematurely? Have your life become smaller and smaller and smaller until you can't cope with any variation?

Keeping your brain and body active does a huge amount to stave off both physical health problems and dementia.

Totally agree with this. Retirement prematurely ages people. I've seen this happen to several members of my own family. Unless used very wisely, it kills people and I'm sure its no coincidence that the two immediate family members I have who retired both developed dementia.

My dad, who never retired and worked until he dropped in his mid 80s of natural causes had a far less conventionally healthy life (he drank too much) but he didn't allow his brain to atrophy.

Whatever you do, stay active. Exercise as much as possible, eat healthily, minimise alcohol and above all use your brain. Use it in different and challenging ways, learn new things, try new things. Use it or lose it.

Routine has its place but overfamiliarity and being over comfortable are the enemies of a healthy brain.

Retire, be active. Learn new skills. Eat well, exercise, be lucky.

Lift weights
Stimulate your brain
Take creatine
Stretch and or do yoga

It sounds scary, has that happened to people you care for?

Personally I’m not interested in retiring because I am in love with what I do, but it’s vitally important that I can do it at my own pace. I allow plenty of time for slow mornings, grandchildren and to indulge my interests.

"Retirement prematurely ages people" - I completely disagree!

Pretty much all of the jammy bastards people I know who have retired have gained a whole new lease of life! You don't have to keep on working to keep your mind and body active!

I am so over this working for a living crap. I've had enough of jobsworths, micromanagers, having to get permission in advance before I can book a holiday, office politics and toxic environments. I will be out of that door like a rat up a drainpipe at the soonest opportunity!

Anyone that I know who has retired has absolutely thrived! Most are active both socially, intellectually and physically so maybe that's the clincher.

All the above points. But I would note that are you doing things you want to and love to do? I find that if I really don’t enjoy something or want to do something it seems to take me an absolute age to get it done eg finding directions to a new dentist/hospital, but allow me to indulge my interest in garden centres and I become faster than google at mapping a route. There is a difference in slowing down and acknowledging procrastination.
Yes I am too of a certain age.

Keeping busy helps, I'm sure. Retirement is bad if you just sit up & don't keep busy. Look at the long-lived Royals, they keep busy.

I was skipping down stairs yesterday. It struck me that no way at all would my mother or grandmothers have skipped down stairs at my age (mid 50s). I'll go down fighting with regard to mobility.

keep up social connections - join community groups - talk to people.

having a strong social network is one of the best ways to protect yourself against ill health in old age.

I am of an age where I could comfortably retire but I'm self employed, love my work and the challenges it brings each day. I come into contact with a lot of people of all ages so no lack of conversation.

I am learning a new language, reading fiction and non fiction outside my comfort zone, planning a partial garden redesign and play a musical instrument regularly.

DH is retired but very busy with umpteen projects and voluntary work. We are both very physically active. DS was lightheartedly grumbling that we are too busy to fit him in. Better that than stagnating on the sofa.

I know a 93 year old who goes for a morning run most days, then does the Times crossword before having a shower. Then off to do voluntary work in the afternoon. He bakes one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever tasted too. H

Use it or lose it helps, both physically and mentally but you can't completely avoid slowing down.

"Retirement prematurely ages people" - I completely disagree

That's nice. There is actual science on the topic. Later retirement is associated with longer life, and retirement is associated with fairly steep declines in cognitive acuity.

Most people do not replace work with an equivalent level of social and intellectual challenge when they retire, and consequently they decline.

I think this is only for people who retire with no real plan or inkling to do anything with their retirement.

When I retire I have 1000 hobbies and other things that I want to do. Things I already do but are squeezed in around work. I cant wait. I will definitely not be bored or understimulated.

But it's true that the less you use your brain and body, the less you will be able to do with them. Some people retire and just don't do anything - they're the ones most at the most risk.

It's partly luck/ genetics but also partly about keeping engaged in things as much as you can.

Keep moving - immobility is the death of mobility. Run, walk, stretch, do yoga / pilates, swim, pick up heavy things carefully.

Learn new things and keep your brain active - do crosswords, take up a musical instrument, play chess.

Maintain social connections - make friends with younger and older people, hang out with your family, build connections with your local community.

@navithefairy

I think this is only for people who retire with no real plan or inkling to do anything with their retirement.

I think in theory that's true and certainly if you retire with good health and a bit of spare cash and you're an organised person you can have a very fulfilling time.

But I also think @AlligatorPsychopath makes a valid point about retirement which isn't always acknowledged when people talk about the wonderful hobbies and volunteering ahead of them:

Most people do not replace work with an equivalent level of social and intellectual challenge when they retire, and consequently they decline.

For people who have their wits about them and have goals and throw themselves into a social project, or politics or a second education it can be great. But honestly most people don't do that: they sit in front of the telly for hours, play card and (at best) do some gardening and their brains do almost literally rot.

There have been several research studies on this and while they are not totally conclusive many of them do show that early retirement correlates with a younger death.

Retirement needs almost to be treated like a new career I think and approached with real vigour, otherwise it does age and eventually kill you.

@Thepeopleversuswork Yeah, I mean, we're saying the same thing basically. Use it or lose it.

We do also have to accept there's an element of inevitability. Even very active people eventually slow down, that's the natural ageing process, and it's not all within our control, some of it is also genetics and other factors. We can do our best :)

Exactly. Use it or lose it, whether that's work or hobbies or whatever. If you sit around doing sod all you are likely to hasten your own death.

I can't understand 'don't retire'. A lot of jobs will not give part time hours, so you are stuck doing full time. Full time can mean working 40 to 50 hours plus a week to get the job completed. Trying to 'be active' and fitting exercise around this is very tough. On the Mon to Fri, particularly in winter, I jog at lunchtime near my office INSTEAD of eating lunch. I don't want to go to these lengths just to fit in exercise when I am 65. Early 50s now and the lifestyle isn't great. We live rurally with no street lighting, footpaths gyms etc and I struggle to fit in exercise in winter.

I think the key is to work part time. Then you have tine to cook healthy food and exercise. Failing thar, retire, keep up exercise and do part time volunteering.

I don't know that I agree. When I got to 50 I was working and fizzing with energy. I retired at 60 and am enjoying my well earned retirement at 70. It's lovely. I relax, I spend time with the dgc, (currently 2 days per week), look after house, garden and dog, see friends and family, watch a bit of TV, and go out to enjoy live music entertainment. I travel to see friends. Holiday is planned for October. I'm spending my time doing what I want to do, not what someone else wants me to do. And there's nothing wrong with my brain!