What age did you start really noticing signs of ageing? And, any tips to make it slightly less depressing?

[Trickymoments]

I'm 41 & would say that when I had my 40th birthday it was like the ageing switch was turned on!

I have always looked young for my age and my dh says I still do but I
don't feel as confident about my looks anymore. My skin is drier & occasionally spotty and I can see jowels and a turkey neck appearing!
Also the one or two grey hairs i had appear to be breeding!

I am conscious I need to make more effort to exercise too now but fitting that in is a juggle.

Any other 40+ year olds feeling similar?
I realise it's an inevitable natural process but it always seemed such a way off!

Can't say it's ever crossed my mind to be honest, just take things as they come. Could do some research but not a fan of Mr Google.

Make sure you are in good shape when you reach menopause

I am nearly 46.
The best thing I did was to stop dying my hair myself and instead get hilights. I've had so many compliments.

I think I look younger than my years despite a closer look revealing wrinkles, older hands, pubic hairs all over the place!

I am physically in very good shape which helps.

I'm 48 and started noticing at 45. I have forehead wrinkles (hereditary) 11s, smile lines on my cheeks. Neck is ok so far but jaw is softer. I have some sunspots on my neckline and issues with ovarian cysts and heavy periods.

Definitely see the difference from 10 years ago but hell, I'm nearly 50, and we are all getting older. Except my best friend who died 2 years ago 🙁

I am tempted by Botox etc, some friends have had work and do look good for their age facially. I'm resisting but my resting face is a bitch face, people do ask me what's up, which is funny because inside I'm happy. In fact, feel better than I ever have. After years of therapy I'm happy. I may have looked fresh faced when I was younger but I felt crap and had all sorts of problems. The freedom that comes with age is definitely worth a few wrinkles.

I also started running, I can run miles, I have always practiced yoga, eat healthily but now I'm slim and sleep like a baby. I smile more than I ever have, but, yeah, still wouldn't mind looking like Helen Mirrin!

meant to add to my message...totally agree re exercising but I would say for some..in moderation...some bodies don't take exercise as well as others...have quite a few friends who run A LOT, and have knee problems etc caused by overdoing it. Having said that if I could run a lot (I have trapped nerve so difficult) I would!
And yes...the eye thing is a pain..that's hit me recently, such a bummer not being able to read small text without glasses!
But...in the end age is just a number, ignore it and fill your life with memories and happiness if you can..that's what matters...mental well being. (though I would still like thick eyelashes again...good eyesight, perfect skin and no middle aged spread! But I am alive, relatively happy, have 3 lovely daughters and so sticking with that thought!)

Of my peers the same age, poor posture makes you look old! Stand up straight and stride out.

Around 40 (I'm 42 now). I do look after my skin, don't smoke and eat well (though I do like a drink and chocolate).But that is much less important than sunscreen - about 70% of skin aging is actually caused by UV rays. So my advice would be always protecting your skin - I wish I knew it when I was 18.

Jowliness. Started noticing it at about 50. Absolute classic.

I've noticed I've been ageing for a while (I'm 41) Have had grey hairs (now dyed) and wrinkles for years. Doesn't bother me too much but I do regret not being strict with SPF and going ALL out for a tan every time the sun is out. Cue very wrinkly chest and bad crows feet. Sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and clock what I'm wearing and my comfy Clarks sandal & think 'F*ck you really look like a middle aged mum!' But then I laugh to myself that I don't really care!

JackandDiane helpful, bearing in mind my work day starts at 8 and finishes at 6 without the luxury of being able to do it in a lunch hour - and that's before fitting in getting DC to school and back, homework and bed so an hour FGS isn't as easy as I'd like to find. put together with very rural living a babysitter isn't the easiest option of an "hour".

Are there good DVDs that can be done quickly that will help? are there quick exercises that can be done in the home that can help too?
Alternative is to pack in my job and just get running during term time

I'm the opposite of jackanddiana and love that my running can be done when I have the time rather than the restriction (plus driving time, plus cost) of a class.

I am able to run in my lunch hour, and enjoy night running when DS1 (17) happy to mind DS2 (7) as I'll go when little DS asleep.

It's about finding what you enjoy. But yes, you have to have the time and I took lots of time off with both children.

The perimenopause was far worse than puberty for me, with erratic periods and really awful mood swings. I remember feeling sudden rages and knowing I was unreasonable, but snapping DH's head off just the same. And as for the insomnia ...

Lack of sleep definitely contributes to looking older. If I don't wear a bit of eyeliner and mascara I look very piggy-eyed, especially in a morning. I don't wake up looking fresh anymore.

I'm nearly 40.. Have noticed over the last year that my hands are looking older, not taut skin anymore. I hate it.
I've had grey hair since I was 19 so I don't count that as an age thing but I found using a hairdresser to dye it has made a difference to how old I look.
I have had Botox and can't deny it is amazing.
I used to run a lot but had to stop after an op and the dr at the hospital told me running ages your face and he could tell a runner just by looking at them..

I am runner. How old do you think I am?

I am runner. How old do you think I am?

Sorry for dbl post - it said it had failed!

39, but I would it was the result of a major life event that led to 2 years of crying, stress and weight gain. I see the "ageing" in the skin around my eyes. I went from "youthful" to "tired" and no amount of current joy, sleep and health (and expensive creams! ) seems to be able to undue the damage. I know it would be incredibly and unforgivably shallow but a small part of me wants to run after every grieving woman with a pot of eye cream!

"Like a sensible shoe in face form"

I find my skin is so much better if I make an effort with it. Cleansing properly, serum, and a good night cream helps!

Re 'running ages your face':

Serious older runners usually have bodies that are much leaner and more youthful that their contemporaries,when you see someone iin their fifties or sixties with a very fit body their face can seem too old for the body.

That's a long winded explanation, I'm too lazy to be concise but I hope my point comes across!

I started to notice I was age when a) I had kids ( rather was pregnant with twins, lost one late on and then became a singe parent) b) lost a fair amount of weight,

I have gone from looking a fair bit younger, i put that down to not having kids lol to now having awful spotty skin and the start of wrinkles and jowls and god my frown lines are so much worse

I think grief along with being a parent has done it for me and now I have less fat to plump my face out I look older

x

I look younger than my years (just lucky genes, DM still looks good at 76 and after a major stroke!) but my neck looks like it belongs to another person. Seriously looked into a neck lift but could never afford it. But like another poster said, I don't fear ageing. It's utterly inevitable and the alternative is so much worse..

I am a man. My hair started receding when I was 19. You women have it really,really easy.

True we can hide stuff easier. My DH had to shave off all his hair by about 26 cos of a bald spot at the crown. It's shit not even having an option.

No one has answered your question bra straps. So I'll wade in .
You have what looks like natural brown hair and full lips...I would say 35