This Is What Could Happen To Our Body When We Get Over 50

1. Our brains shrink!

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Essentially our brain is a muscle, and as we age we naturally lose muscle mass. So yes, our brain really does start to shrink! There are ways you can slow this process though; learning new skills and testing your intellect will help keep your brain bigger!

2. We may have a continuous battle with belly fat

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Our fat distribution changes when we get older and the sad reality is that fat starts to gather on our bellies much more than when we were younger. This is especially the case for women, as when we are younger, fat stores are around the hips for pregnancy, but this changes after 50!

3. Everything feels so much more tiring

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After the age of 50, our bodies generally become less flexible and less pliant than they used to be so everything feels that little bit more difficult. And, our bodies take longer to recover and repair so we can feel more tired for longer! Sadly we aren't spring chickens anymore...

4. Our feet get longer and wider!

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If you wondered why your shoes were starting to feel a little on the snug side, it's because they started to change shape - quite drastically. Your feet become flatter (as we lose elasticity) and longer and they can actually grow longer by half a size within a few years!

5. We may become less able to handle lactose

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Statistically, as people get older they become much more likely to become lactose intolerant. This is because our bodies produce less of a substance called lactase, which is what digests lactose, meaning that it becomes a lot more difficult for us to digest!

6. Our metabolism REALLY starts to slow down

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As we cross the 50-year mark, our metabolism may start to work at a much slower pace. Our metabolism is very much responsible for more weight and even our energy so as this starts to slow down, so do a lot of things! We may gain weight and become more lethargic too.

7. Backache becomes a regular complaint

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Unfortunately, aches and pains and creaking joints seem to be part and parcel with the aging process. Backaches become frequent as the discs in our spines lose moisture and become less flexible. This essentially means that there's less cushioning and we can feel more uncomfortable!

8. We release a lot less hormones

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All of our hormones start to be produced less and less as we age and after 50 they're in serious decline which can almost make us feel like an entirely different person from how we used to! The lowering of estrogen and testosterone are hormones we really notice as they affect our mood and energy levels so much.

9. Bones and joints start to stiffen

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After 50 we notice joint aches and pains SO much more. Particularly the knees... bending our knees becomes so much more of a challenge than the taken-for-granted movement it used to be. And as for bending down, why does that feel so much more difficult after we hit 50?

10. We don't see things as clearly anymore

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Vision is yet another aspect of our body to starts declining after the age of 50. The lens of the eye becomes less flexible so it can be more difficult for us to focus on an object, and that object may seem to look a lot more blurred than it used to! Eye checkups are a necessity now.

11. We start to notice the fine lines turn to wrinkles

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It can be hard to come to terms with the fact that we don't all look the same as we used to forever. But our collagen production decreases and the elasticity of our skin starts to wear off. So the fine lines that we probably notice start to look a lot more like wrinkles after 50!

12. Our muscles start to look less prominent

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Age and muscle loss go hand in hand, and after the age of 30, muscle prominence starts to decline. The process is called sarcopenia, which makes our muscles look a lot softer and less defined. Each decade that goes by, our muscles look a lot smaller!

13. We have to say 'sorry what did you say?' a LOT more

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As for our hearing, that's also a steady decline after the age of 50. You probably start to miss things a lot more and struggle more and more to hear what is being said to you. Blood flow and nutrient supply to the ears start to lessen, and sound damage takes its toll and our hearing becomes less sensitive!

14. If it hasn't already, the menopause can kick in

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As a woman, there's also one of the biggest life changes her body can possibly go through... menopause! Women start to go through this change at different stages, some women may start in their 40s or earlier, and other women may start in their 50s! This is a massive part of life after 50 for women.

15. We suddenly seem to have way more teeth troubles

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Oral health is another thing we may notice that starts to change after we pass the 5th decade. Teeth are used multiple times every day, so as we age they naturally face more and more wear and tear! But gum recession also starts to happen as we age and we start to have more problems with our teeth!

16. Things get breezy on top as hair starts to thin

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Hair thinning is a common symptom of aging. One of the reasons hair starts to think is because hormones decrease! Hair follicles age over time which means that they naturally become smaller and finer! Genetics also have a huge part to play in how much hair we lose.

17. And hair starts to pop up in other unexpected places...

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There's also the realization that hair starts growing in random parts of our bodies. One day you're looking in the mirror and you see a huge hair sticking out of your chin. It's not just you, it's all of us. We may have less hair up top but we suddenly find them in the strangest of places.

18. We start the grey hair journey

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Grey galore...we all reach a point in our life (most of the time after the age of 50) when our hair starts to turn grey. It actually starts to turn grey after the age of 30, but after 50 we notice this much more. Some people may be fully grey - if they choose to accept the natural change.

19. Our memory feels much less sharp

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Forgetting things more and more often is also one of those things we have to come to terms with. Normal, age-related memory changes start to take place which means that things like names, details, and where you put objects seem to be forgotten almost instantly at a time!

20. Our desires in the bedroom may take a sharp decline

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Things in the bedroom might change after 50. Our sex hormones have declined to their lowest point in our lives so far, and this can take a toll on how much you feel like getting intimate. Don't be concerned if you go through phases of having very little interest in that department.

21. Skin tags become a frequent find

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Skin tags start to pop up after 50 more than ever before. Our once smooth skin seems to be covered in skin tags in various places. Skin tags are usually nothing to worry about, just a natural thing that starts to happen as our body ages and we hit our 5th decade.

22. We become WAY less flexible

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When you're young you can't even fathom not being able to touch your toes or cross your knees. But then once you reach 50, these two tasks feel huge. Crossing your knees may be a thing of the past, and as for touching your toes - it's something you really have to work at!

23. We start to be plagued by injuries

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Our bodies just aren't as resilient as they used to be and we become so much more prone to injuries after the age of 50 as our bones and body are generally weaker than they once were. You'll also find that after 50, once you get an injury, this area of your body seems even more susceptible to damage!

24. Hair and nails may start to snap more easily

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Collagen and keratin production in our bodies slow down which affects the health and strength of our nails and hair. We may notice our hair snapping off and becoming a lot more brittle than we used to remember. Growing our nails out is also a LOT harder.

25. We become more prone to chronic illnesses

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Another thing you'll notice about your body after 50 is that you become more and more at risk of serious illnesses and chronic diseases. For this reason, it's more important than ever to have a healthy lifestyle and make sure that you're doing everything you can to reduce the risks!

26. Our hearts are under more strain

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Our hearts have 50 years of life to contend with, so if you've not looked after yourself in this time your heart may be under a lot of strain, particularly if your arteries are clogged. In fact, after the age of 50 having a cholesterol, artery, and heart check is super important!

27. Our body feels slower

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Our bodies do just generally slow down as we age. And after we hit 50 we aren't as quick as we used to be, physically and mentally! Remember sprinting at the park as a kid? Now if it feels more like a slow jog. We just can't move as quickly anymore...unless you REALLY work at it.

28. Our brain is less able to handle emotional change

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As we said before, the brain is a muscle. But the brain also becomes less able to overcome emotional changes which is partially where the phrase becoming 'set in your ways' comes from. This is because our brain takes flexibility to overcome new or stressful emotions.

29. Our bones become more hollow

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Osteoporosis gradually becomes more and more of a concern as we start to age. This is because our brains become less dense and more hollow, meaning that they are far more brittle than they used to be. And, our bones become more likely to rub against each other which can cause mobility issues!

30. We may find our eyes and mouth getting dryer

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When your hormones decrease we may also find that we get drier all over our bodies. It feels especially dry around our eyes and mouth and you may feel like you're constantly having to layer moisturizer all over your body! It's even more important to hydrate!