What Normal Aging Looks Like

As much as you’d like it to be the case, what you look like and how you feel at 20 years old certainly won’t be the same as when you’re 70 years old. From the day you’re born, your body undergoes a series of complex changes that eventually peak. From there, a slow process known as aging begins. From your physical appearance to how well your brain, heart and lungs function, these inevitable changes will ultimately affect each person at some point in their life. 

What causes aging?

The causes of aging fall under two categories: intrinsic (chronological) aging and extrinsic (environmental) aging.

Intrinsic aging

Every human has a specific genetic makeup that causes them to slowly age over time. This is due to cellular aging, or the inability for cells to divide and multiply properly. The older cells get, the less efficient they are in performing everyday, routine tasks we often take for granted.

Extrinsic aging 

Aside from chronological aging, your body also changes over time due to preventable environmental and behavioral factors. Examples include smoking, UV exposure, poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle or air pollution. 

What happens to your body when you get older?

Organs begin to change over time due to intrinsic aging. Here are some examples of normal changes that may occur as you age.

Bladder and urinary tract

Urinary incontinence becomes problematic as you age due to the bladder losing elasticity and the bladder muscles weakening. This leads to an inability to fully empty the bladder. In men, the prostate enlarges and can press on the urethra and impact how you urinate. Women may experience weakening of the pelvic floor, which makes it harder to urinate and control your bowels.

Bone and joint health

The biggest changes people experience are muscle loss, bone loss and shrinkage of vertebrae. More muscle turns to fat, which can lead to weight gain, while changes to vertebrae creates spinal compression and can cause you to lose as many as two inches of height. Muscles also contain less water volume the older you get, making them more stiff and rigid. 

If you notice your body becoming increasingly achy, it’s likely due to a loss of cartilage that puts more strain on your joints. Bones become weaker and more fragile, ligaments lose elasticity and joints are more restricted, three things that make it harder to perform routine tasks.

Brain

Brain volume decreases the older you get, especially in the frontal lobe and hippocampus, two areas that help with cognitive functions. The frontal lobe is responsible for tasks such as memory, problem solving and motor function. The hippocampus plays a major role in learning.

White matter, which connects the brain’s four lobes, also can decrease and impact how the brain processes information and carries out cognitive function.

Cardiovascular system

Within the cardiovascular system, changes occur to the heart, blood and blood vessels as you age.

Blood vessels: Blood vessels become stiff, hard and less flexible, which makes your heart work harder. This can lead to an increase in blood pressure. Additionally, baroreceptors responsible for monitoring blood pressure can become less sensitive and lead to dizziness when transitioning from your bed or chair to a standing position.  

Heart: The development of fibrous tissue and fat deposits can impact how the heart beats, which can lead to a lower heart rate. Abnormal heart rhymes may also occur and some people develop a heart murmur due to heart valves becoming stiffer over time.

Blood: Fluid generally decreases as you age, which in turn decreases blood volume. Red blood cells are slower to respond to blood loss, and a decrease in some white blood cells makes it harder to mount an immune system response.  

Digestive system

The gastrointestinal tract, which runs from the mouth to the anus, becomes more rigid as you age. Since the lower GI tract features muscles that help with bowel movements, digestion can become problematic when these muscles don’t contract normally. This explains why many older adults have problems with constipation.

Eyes and ears

The older you get, the more likely you are to lose close-up vision, a condition called presbyopia. Some people are also more sensitive to light due to a decrease in pupil size. Cataracts are also common. This eye condition occurs when the lens becomes cloudy and dark and blocks vision. 

As for your ears, presbycusis, or the gradual loss of hearing, is common. More ear wax also tends to build up in the ear, which can make it harder to hear for some.

Lungs

Your chest contains several important muscles and bones necessary to breathe. The diaphragm can weaken and the ribcage can thin, two changes that don’t allow as much oxygen to enter your lungs. This is why many older adults experience shortness of breath.

Changes to lung tissue can also impact how you breathe. Air sacs can lose their shape and certain tissue can lose their ability to allow the normal flow of oxygen.

Metabolism

Your body’s metabolism gradually slows down as you age. In other words, you don’t burn as many calories as you once did, which can lead to weight gain.

Nervous system

Your brain and spinal cord are full of nerve cells that help coordinate many movements and activities in your body. As you age, these nerve cells aren’t as effective in sending messages in a timely manner, which can lead to slower movements and thinking.

Senses

By the time you reach your 50s, you may notice changes in how things smell or taste. This is due to a decrease in sensitivity, meaning more stimulation is required to achieve the same effect. As a result, it becomes more difficult to enjoy certain smells or flavors.

Skin

With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile, and fatty tissue just below the skin decreases. You might notice that you bruise more easily. Decreased production of natural oils might make your skin drier. Wrinkles, age spots and small growths called skin tags are more common.

With aging, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged.

The outer portion of your skin, called the epidermis, thins out and becomes paler due to a loss of pigment calls. The skin also becomes less elastic due to changes in connective tissue. Bruising is more common, too, due to blood vessels becoming more fragile.

Many people also experience dry skin. Sebaceous glands, which produce oils to keep your skin moist and lubricated, produce less oil as you age. 

Your skin also contains a subcutaneous fat layer that provides insulation and padding. As you age, this layer decreases and makes it harder to maintain warmth.

Teeth

Tooth enamel helps protect your mouth from decaying. Over time, this enamel decreases and makes you more prone to developing cavities or gum disease.Teeth also become less sensitive over time. A hard inner tissue called dentin builds up between enamel and the nerves of your teeth, which impacts sensation.

Immune system

In general, the older you get, the longer it takes for your body to generate an immune system response. It also impacts your body’s ability to detect abnormal or infectious cells, which explains why cancer risk increases as you age.

Recovering from illness also becomes more difficult since there are fewer cells to help your body heal.

Visual appearance

Physical changes are most noticeable in the face, as muscle tone and skin thickness decrease and skin dries out and loses elasticity to cause wrinkles. Your nose, mouth and forehead may look more pronounced, not because they increased in size, but due to changes to your jaw bone that makes these features look more prominent.

The other main visual change shows up under your eyes, where you may begin to notice bags developing. Swelling and puffiness occurs due to tissues around the eye that become weak and allow fat to move into the lower eyelids.

When do you start to feel the effects of aging?

Certain aspects of aging will occur at different time intervals. But in general, the human body is fully developed and peaks during your 30s before slowly declining.

For example, metabolism can begin to slow down in your 20s. This contributes to weight gain in some people.

You also begin to lose muscle mass in your 30s. In your 40s, you may notice the need to hold reading materials farther away from you than normal. This condition, called presbyopia, occurs when your eyes gradually lose the ability to see objects at a closer distance. People in their 40s typically also start losing height as bones, muscles and joints begin to change.

While you may not begin to notice cognitive changes until your 60s, 70s or 80s, the process subtly begins in your 30s as the brain slowly shrinks. Over time, you will notice differences in how quickly you think, your attention span and how you find and locate words when speaking.

Anti-aging tips

While some aspects of aging are unavoidable, there are still measures you can take to protect against premature aging caused by external factors.

To start, eat a healthy diet and incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Swap out fried foods and saturated fats for fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Try to log at least 150 minutes of exercise throughout the week, even if it’s something like walking your dog.

You can also protect your body from aging by quitting smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation.

When spending time outdoors, be sure to wear sunglasses and sunscreen. Sunglasses protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, and sunscreen can help reduce your risk of changes to your skin, including cancer.

The older you get, the more necessary it becomes to see your primary care physician annually. They can perform routine screenings to help you stay on top of your health. Annual visits to the eye doctor and dentist can also prevent and detect any eye or dental problems.

As important as physical health is, keep your mind strong by challenging your brain with crossword puzzles and other hobbies that require you to think.

For more questions on what normal aging looks like, contact your primary care physician.