They say aging isn’t for sissies, and here at 63 years old, I totally understand this now. It’s not. It’s hard, stressful and frustrating, BUT it’s also freeing and wonderful. A total mixed bag.
As I get older, I find myself wondering what’s normal aging and what are some things that are happening to me that I can prevent? Both my parents died from cognitive decline-related diseases, so I’m always hyper aware of what’s happening to my brain and body.
With that, I often find myself asking the million-dollar question: “Is this normal aging?”
Today, we’re going to dive deep into aging issues like brain fog, bone health, weight gain, aches and pains and more.
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Let’s Talk About “Normal Aging”
Let’s talk about this whole idea of “normal aging” for a second. Because somewhere along the way, a lot of us were taught that feeling tired, gaining weight, getting weaker, and forgetting things is just part of getting older.
So we accept it and tell ourselves this is what’s supposed to happen now.
But is it? A lot of what we’ve been told about normal aging is not actually normal at all.
Feeling Tired All the Time
This is one of the biggest complaints people have. You wake up tired, need coffee to function, and by mid-afternoon, you’re already done and ready for your first nap of the day. Then you’re in bed by 8 pm and lie awake until 2 am.
A lot of people assume this is normal aging, but in reality, it’s often tied to low muscle mass, poor sleep, blood sugar swings, and not moving enough. When your body isn’t strong, everything feels harder. That constant fatigue is often your body asking for better support.
How to fix this: Set aside 20-30 minutes a day for exercise/walk/etc. Stop eating 3 hours before bed and try to eat healthy foods throughout the day.
Weight Gain That Creeps In
Weight gain gets blamed on normal aging all the time. Yes, your metabolism can slow down a little, but that’s only part of the story.
The bigger issue is muscle loss. When you lose muscle, your body burns fewer calories at rest, so weight gain becomes easier.
How to fix this: When you rebuild muscle and clean up your eating habits, your body can respond better than you might expect.
Losing Strength
A lot of people believe getting weaker is just part of normal aging. But what’s really happening is often Sarcopenia, which is heavily influenced by inactivity.
If you’re not using your muscles, your body starts getting weak. That’s how it works. Use it or lose it, right?
How to fix this: Start doing weight training. Yoga is also great for seniors. Challenge your muscles.
Stiff Joints, Inflammation and Aches
Stiff joints get brushed off as just getting older, but more often than not, they’re linked to not moving enough throughout the day. Feeling sore and uncomfortable all the time becomes normal for a lot of people.
But that doesn’t mean it has to be.
Chronic inflammation is often the result of a poor diet, stress, lack of movement, and poor sleep. All of those things are adjustable.
When you sit more and move less, your joints get tighter. Then you avoid movement because it feels uncomfortable, and the cycle continues.
Movement is actually what helps your joints stay healthy. So if you’re wondering if all these are part of normal aging, they aren’t; constant stiffness, inflammation and aches and pains are things you can improve.
Check out my new Pain-Free Starter Kit here and start feeling normal again, without all the pain and inflammation.
How to fix this: Get moving and also clean up that diet!
Brain Fog and Memory Slips
This is the one that scares people – it sure scares me when it happens. You forget things more often and start worrying that something is seriously wrong.
While the risk of Dementia does increase with age, lifestyle plays a huge role in brain health.
How to fix this: Exercise, sleep, social connection, and nutrition all matter. Quit sugar/smoking/alcohol/etc. Do 15 minutes of brain games every day.
Bone Loss and Fragility
Bone density does change as you age, especially for women: that part is true and worth paying attention to, but it’s not a guaranteed downward spiral into conditions like Osteoporosis.
How to fix this: Strength training, proper nutrition (Calcium, Protein, Collagen, etc), and staying active can help maintain stronger bones longer than most people think.
So What’s Actually Normal Aging?
Aging is real. You’re not going to feel exactly like you did decades ago, and that’s okay.
But a lot of what gets labelled as normal aging is actually your body responding to years of habits that no longer support it.
And the most important thing to remember is this. Your body is still capable of change.
final thoughts on normal aging
Instead of asking what’s normal aging in a way that feels limiting, ask what you can improve from here.
Your body responds when you move more. It responds when you build strength, eat better, and take care of it. Try it for 30 days and see what happens.
You have more control over how you age than you’ve probably been led to believe. And once you understand that, you stop settling for feeling just okay and start expecting to feel better again.
