From whisky to cheese, some things improve with age – and it turns out we can, too!
WORDS:MICHELE O’CONNOR IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
Greater Life Satisfaction
In a recent interview, Angela Rippon maintained that many people in their later years still have the same enthusiasm for life as a 30-year-old, and extolled the virtues of getting as much out of life as you can.
In fact, our capacity for joy increases with age. According to Jonathan Rauch, author of The Happiness Curve, older people dwell less on life’s downsides, notice positive events more than negative ones, and develop a “gratitude attitude”.
Better Sex
There’s a common misconception that, as people age, they lose interest in sex. According to a recent survey of 7,367 women, those aged 55 to 64 were found to be the most sexually contented.
Only 29% said they were disappointed with their sex lives, compared to 49% of those aged between 24 and 35.
Studies actually suggest the more sex older people have, the less likely they are to experience health problems.
Less Severe Hangovers
Contrary to popular belief, hangovers get less severe in later life, according to a study of Dutch drinkers published in the medical journal Alcohol and Alcoholism. Researchers surmised that we become better at dealing with the consequences of drinking too much and have reduced pain sensitivity. They also noted that how drunk a person feels is a key predictor of how bad they feel the next day, calling it “subjective intoxication”.
Fewer Viruses
“Over time, our immune system develops antibodies against an ever-increasing range of viruses,” explains Bristol GP Dr Jon Rees.
“As a result, minor infections such as colds, sinusitis, ear infections and tonsillitis become less common as we get older.”
Flu is the exception, however, because those viruses mutate – so make sure you get a flu vaccine.
Quality Sleep
Older people in good health have fewer sleep disturbances and less daytime tiredness than younger adults. A study in Sleep journal involving more than 150,000 people suggests that, apart from your 40s, sleep quality gets better with age, with those in their 80s reporting the best sleep.
While health complaints impacted sleep quality, the researchers found that complaints about poor sleep fell as the ages of th
