There is one constant that happens the longer you stay alive: you get old. No matter the facial creams, exercise, diet, and pills that show up to promise otherwise, the longer you get to live on this planet, the older you will become. But getting old isn’t as bad as you may think. In fact, you might look forward to it.
Sure, you’ll likely be slower and lose some hair on your scalp while your body grows new ones elsewhere, but there are some perks to getting old that come along with the negative. The older folks on Reddit shared the best parts about being old, and experts have some insight into what makes getting old great.
You stop giving a f**k About the small stuff
“You stop giving a flying fuck about so many things,” said one poster. And they are right. One British study found that people start to stop caring about things like social standing and appearance by age 46. The IDGAF-ness of a person grows and grows the longer they live on.
Why is that? Confidence. One study from the American Psychological Association found that people in their 60s to 70s experience higher self-confidence than any other age group. Being that at that age range, you’ve likely experienced so many highs and lows that you recognize how petty and temporary they are or have knowledge on how to process them due to previous experience. That can feel pretty freeing.
Wisdom
“Being wiser, due to experience.”
There’s some wisdom to that poster’s remark about wisdom. According to WebMD, the golden years are when a person experiences “crystallized intelligence.” This is when a person can use their knowledge and experience at their fullest potential, peaking in both so they can bestow it upon others or solve certain problems quicker than other whippersnappers in the same field. This isn’t just when it comes to particular expertise, but also in general life skills as well.
Better attuned with emotions
“Personal happiness and service to others go hand in hand. Also appreciate suffering a bit more,” wrote one poster. There is professional opinion to back this up. According to Dr. Davangere P. Devanand, the director of geriatric psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, one of the benefits of getting older includes becoming more emotionally intelligent for both yourself and the situations you are in.
“Older people have less emotional volatility and a better understanding of relationships and have figured out strategies for different situations,” he says. “Younger people often experience panic, for example, but after age 60 or 65, new onset panic disorder is rare and almost unknown because those neurons are just not there.”
Less migraines
“The last headache I experienced was in 1992,” wrote one poster.
There’s some proof to back this up. According to WebMD and a study published in the National Library of Science, if you experience migraines they will lessen in bouts and duration as you age, typically going away in your 70s unless there are other physical issues that could trigger them.
Better sex
When asked if elderly people still had sex on Reddit, one poster said, “Oh, hell yes. As often as possible.” While there are certain physical and medical issues that may need to be addressed for safety and comfort, generally speaking sex can get better as you age. The reasons why are a mix of previously discussed perks of getting older. Since you have more experience, self confidence, and emotional intelligence, it is easier for you and your partner to achieve orgasm and connect emotionally.
So if you’re still worried about getting old, don’t worry. You’ll likely grow out of it.
