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At what age do most people feel old?

According to the research, the average American starts feeling old at the age of 47. Similarly, the average respondent starts to really worry about age-related bodily changes around 50 years old.

studyfinds.org - Are you past your prime? Average person starts feeling old at the age ...

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NEW YORK — They say age is more about state of mind than the date on your birth certificate, but a new survey of 2,000 Americans over 40 is challenging that narrative. According to the research, the average American starts feeling old at the age of 47. Similarly, the average respondent starts to really worry about age-related bodily changes around 50 years old. The unstoppable passage of time is apparently a big worry among Americans. In all, 65% say that growing old in general is among their top fears. When asked about specifics, nearly half say they’re mostly concerned about the mental declines that so often come with old age. On a related note 64% worry that their thinking abilities won’t last as long as their physical health. Surprisingly, most participants aren’t nearly as concerned about losing their youthful looks. Only one in four are concerned about looking unattractive in old age. One in four people worry they’ll lose touch with what’s “hip and cool” once they’re elderly.

Fears of losing our minds in old age

Commissioned by Elysium Health, the survey also notes 56% of Americans worry about their brain health on a regular basis. That may sound excessive at first, but consider that nearly half of respondents also report a family history of age-related memory loss. Furthermore, two-thirds say their memory is already a shell of what it once was. Many (25%) lose their train of thought once per day, and others (20%) lose track of their thoughts multiple times per day. Over half (58%) frequently forget people’s names moments after meeting them. Astoundingly, 38% even need a few moments to remember their significant other’s birthday. So, it’s clear that most Americans are at least aware of age-related memory deterioration. Troublingly, however, 84 percent say they’re doing nothing at all to boost their brain health.

What we eat impacts what we remember

“While more than half of respondents correctly identified that excessive alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and lack of sleep all accelerate the rate of brain volume loss that occurs as we age, only 41% thought that poor eating habits would also have an impact,” says Elysium Health CEO Eric Marcotulli. “Unfortunately, it is not surprising that most people do not associate dietary choices with long-term brain health. Despite the general understanding that omega-3s are good for brain health, 80% of Americans do not get the two weekly servings of fatty fish recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” Unfortunately, all of the stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 has made maintaining a healthy lifestyle that much more difficult. Since the pandemic began, 38 percent say they’ve been getting worse sleep, over 20 percent have been eating a less healthy diet, and 14 percent have been drinking more alcohol.

The survey was conducted by OnePoll.

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At what age do humans start to slow down?

Declines in walking speed and aerobic endurance became evident in the 60s and 70s. More physical activity was associated with less physical decline, especially in ages 60 to 79.

aarp.org - Fitness And Physical Decline At Stages Of Aging - AARP

Typically, studies that have looked at age-related physical ability focused on testing those in their 70s and 80s. This study tested a wider age range — 775 subjects from age 30 to 90-plus — and found that exercise to offset physical decline needs to start before people are AARP-eligible. "Our research reinforces a life-span approach to maintaining physical ability — don't wait until you are 80 years old and cannot get out of a chair," lead author Katherine Hall, assistant professor of medicine at Duke, said in a statement. "The good news is, the ability to function independently can often be preserved with regular exercise." In the study, published in the Journals of Gerontology, all participants were given simple tests to measure their strength, balance or endurance: rising from a chair repeatedly for 30 seconds; standing on one leg for a minute; and walking for six minutes. Walking speed over a distance of about 10 yards was also measured.