When I turned 50, life was amazing and full of wonderful surprises. For the first time ever, I felt free and alive. Full of life, wonder and joy. And then 60 came.
I had no idea how much things would change after 60. It’s like your car switched lanes and forgot to signal and almost drove off the road. Ooph. What a mess.
But I’m still finding life is wonderful and full of joy. However, it’s also full of weird changes and challenges that I wasn’t prepared for. Today, I want to talk about 17 truths about life after 60 that they forgot to tell us about.
Or maybe they did, we just weren’t listening!
17 brutal truths about life after 60
Before we get into this, I also uploaded a video over on my YouTube channel about this. You might really enjoy it! You can check it out here.
(ps-my channel is all about life over 60, starting over, some solo female travel and more. If any of that interests you, please hit the subscribe button and watch a few vids!)
Without further ado and babbling, here are 17 brutal truths about life after 60 we should have known about years ago.
Aches and Pains
As you get older, your joints can become stiff and painful due to wear and tear. Your back hurts, your knees hurt, your elbows hurt. Need I go on? Pain in places that were perfectly fine last week. This is one of the things that happens to our bodies as we age.
Everything just starts to hurt.
This can make regular activities like walking, getting up, sitting down, and bending more difficult and can impact your quality of life. However, all is not lost.
If you don’t exercise or do yoga, now’s a perfect time to start! Also, it might be time to switch up that diet too! Remember, you are what you eat.
You might really like this article here
Grey Hair in Odd Places
Wtf? And we’re not just talking about the hair on your head. Take a close look in the mirror, and you’ll most likely see a grey eyebrow hair, and maybe even an eyelash has suddenly turned white. Have you checked your ears and nose hairs lately, too?
Let’s not forget about our private parts, too! Seriously? Can we dye those? I’m gonna get real personal here but down below, I now have more grey hair than natural coloured hair. Oooph. You too??
So, sure you can dye all those hairs or pluck them, or just leave them be and let age take over naturally. That’s what I’m doing now. I stopped dying my hair and left the rest alone. We’re good!
Hearing Loss
Many people experience hearing loss as they age, which can be incredibly frustrating and depressing. What? Pardon? Can you repeat that again, please? Do any of those phrases sound familiar?
Is the volume on the TV not loud enough? Losing our hearing can make it difficult to communicate with loved ones and can lead to social isolation.
Ask your doctor about hearing aids if the problem is bad. Kindly let people know you have a hard time hearing and if they could please speak a little louder and slowly. Most people are happy to do this.
Increased Anxiety
One minute, you’re chatting with friends, or maybe while you’re standing in line at the grocery store, and the next minute, boom. Anxiety hits, and apparently, for no reason. Suddenly, you’re freaking out, you can’t breathe, and you think you’re having a heart attack and don’t know what to do.
I remember the first time this happened to me, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. For real. It was scary until I realized what was happening.
You’ll be surprised to know that a slight tweak in my diet took care of those. What exactly did I do? Cut out sugar! Yup.
You can find out more about that here.
“I can’t sleep!”
Remember when we used to be able to go to sleep at 11, wake up at 6 or 7, and carry on normally? Long gone are those days.
Many people after 60 experience sleep disturbances, which can leave them feeling tired and run down throughout the day. In bed by 8, up at midnight, back to sleep at 2 a.m., and up again at 5. It’s exhausting – pardon the pun!
It’s a good idea to stop eating or drinking anything at least 3 hours before bed and stay off electronics at least an hour before bed. Find a good book to read or listen to some soothing bedtime meditations/music. Melatonin also helps!
Memory Loss
We all kind of knew it was coming but we had no clue it would be so fast or soon. We lose our keys, forget what we went into the kitchen for, don’t remember loved one’s birthdays, did we take our pills today, lock the car door, etc.
It’s sad and terrifying at the same time. I’ve made a habit of leaving myself little notes that help me remember things. Also, as soon as I make a date or appointment or anything, I immediately put it in Google calendar and set a reminder!
I’ve also started doing brain exercises and using Lion’s Mane Mushrooms to help. You might like the following two articles.
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms-Results after 3 months of use
Brain Exercises to Prevent Dementia
Dryness in Private Places
Women know what we’re talking about here. Our private parts feel like the Sahara desert. When did THAT happen? It hurts and is extremely uncomfortable (if not treated).
Being intimate is no longer enjoyable. Many just stop being intimate altogether. We now need moisturizer. We’re that many years old.
Speak to your doctor about creams or supplements you can take to help you with your dry petunia so you can enjoy intimate moments again.
Metabolism Slows Down
As you age, your body’s metabolism decreases, which can make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. This can be frustrating, particularly if you’ve been active and had a healthy weight your whole life.
While this hasn’t happened to me yet, only God knows why, it has happened to many of my friends.
Having a slow metabolism doesn’t only affect your weight. It also affects your desire or urge to get up and go and do fun things. Check your diet and see where you can make changes to help boost your metabolism and also talk to your doctor.
You might really like this article on 19 foods to eat to boost metabolism.
Zero Patience/zero filter
You basically hate everyone and everything except your dog or cat. You no longer have patience for annoying or toxic people (or anyone, for that matter). You’ve lost your filter and have no qualms telling people how you feel.
Maybe this is a good thing!?
I have to check my words before they come out of my mouth, and oftentimes you can find me biting my tongue. My filter is so gone, it’s not even funny. I generally just avoid people now.
Sagging Skin on Face
As you age, your skin loses elasticity and can become more prone to wrinkles. It can be frustrating to look in the mirror, see lines and wrinkles that weren’t there before, and notice that your face is falling.
Your eyelids are drooping, your cheeks are caving in, there are ridiculous lines where your mouth and chin are, and all these spots have names. Who names these? Your face is falling, and it can’t get up.
Well, if you’re up for plastic surgery, you can make anything happen. The sagging face thing for me is kinda depressing.
I tried invisible face tape, and my results were hilarious. Check out this article to read my honest review of Face Tape.
Spots Pop Up
These are popping up almost on a daily basis. Moles, age spots, sun spots, old people spots. Some of us get so many of them that you can practically play connect the dots on their bodies.
I just had a bunch removed at the dermatologist’s here. I hate them.
While most of them are harmless, you should definitely get them checked by your doctor just to be on the safe side.
Hair Loss
Places where there used to be hair are now thin and balding (and I don’t just mean on your head either). All that beautiful hair you used to have as a younger person is slowly starting to fall out and thin out.
Pass the wine. This is sad. Where is our hair going? Do we have to buy wigs now? Dis tew much!
I started taking collagen powder to see if that helps, and I also just quit dying my hair. While I still have this tiny balding patch near the front, it seems my hair is slightly thicker now. I dunno.
There are lots of all-natural remedies to help with hair loss and inhibit hair growth. A quick Google search will help you with that.
Burning Mouth Syndrome
Yes. This is a thing. A real thing and a really annoying thing. Don’t believe me? Just Google it. Burning mouth syndrome affects mostly older people (60+) and will come and go as it pleases.
I had to Google it because some weird stuff was starting to happen to my lips, and I was like ‘wtf is this now? ‘ Turns out, I have BMS. Ridiculous
The only thing you can really do about it is moisturize your heart out, er, I mean your mouth.
Floaters and Vision Loss
Well, floaters are fun, said no one ever. Another depressing thing that happens as you age. These little black squiggly lines in your eyes. Good times indeed.
As you age, your vision can start to deteriorate as well. This can make activities like reading or driving more difficult and can be a huge pain in the butt.
There isn’t much you can do about floaters. I’ve had mine now for years, and I’ve just accepted them. If you know of a magical way to get rid of them, please drop that info down below!!
Decreased Libido
I’m sorry. Really, I am. As hormone levels change with age, libido can decrease. This can be a frustrating and super depressing aspect of aging for many people.
We think back to the good old days when we could go for hours (ok, maybe not hours, but you get what I mean), and now we don’t even want to go at all.
No desire, no urge. Nudda. Gone. If this really bothers you and you are in a relationship, you can speak to your doctor about that. Otherwise, it is what it is. Gone are the days.
Digestive Issues
We sure can’t eat like we used to. Or what we used to. Aging can also impact digestion, with many people experiencing gas, bloating, and constipation as they get older.
Hello, farty pants, bloaty belly, and heartburn. As you get older, you definitely have to be more mindful of what you eat and how often you eat. Choosing a poor diet also leads to inflammation, joint pain and so much more.
You might really like this article on foods that fight inflammation.
Incontinence
Are you afraid to sneeze hard or cough in public because of, well, you know what? A common problem for many people after 60 is incontinence. Let’s face it: lack of bladder control can be quite embarrassing.
This can be caused by weakened pelvic muscles or an enlarged prostate in men.
While this hasn’t happened to me yet, I’m just waiting. I’ve had bladder issues my entire life so I can only imagine they will get 100 times worse as I get older. As it stands right now, I pee a million times in the night.
And this girl just wants to sleep!!
final thoughts on life after 60
While aging certainly comes with its challenges, it also comes with great joy and freedom too!! We’ve lived a great life, experienced so much and truly lived! And, God willing, still have so much living left to do!!
Aging isn’t all bad and life after 60 is actually better than I imagined. It’s a privilege denied to many. Don’t forget that.
Learn to make the most of each day given to you. Step out of your comfort zone and go do things you’ve always wanted to do.
It’s also important to note that it’s never too late to start taking care of your health too in order to live a little longer and healthier and stronger!
I just quit smoking after having been a smoker for 50 years, and I just quit sugar. Little changes and tweaks will make a big difference in the end. I’m doing my best to make life after 60 the best!
You can too. The choice is yours.
20 Powerful Anti-Aging Foods For Youthful Skin
They say you are what you eat and this is exactly true. If you fuel your body with garbage, it will show up in your skin and cause premature aging and wrinkles. Check out this amazing list of the top 20 anti-aging foods you should be eating today.
7 Best Supplements That Reverse Aging
Do you have any of these anti aging, age-reversing supplements in your medicine cabinet? While eating right and exercising do help, sometimes they aren’t quite enough as our bodies and minds age. Try these supplements today!
