Researchers have discovered DNA markers associated with retroelements — ancient viral remnants within our genes — that act as highly accurate epigenetic clocks for predicting chronological age. The study, published in the Aging Cell journal, found that these retroelement clocks embedded in the human genome detect unique aging signals that other chronological age-measuring clocks have not previously recognized.
Growing older is part of the human experience. And while our life expectancy has come a long way in the last several decades, earlier than we'd like comes the time when the signs of aging become obvious and we have to deal with the pros and cons of the aging process. Some signs of aging are quite easy to spot: just looking at our skin and hair will gives a hint about it. But there are many other, more subtle, signs of aging that we might not think of as such sometimes.
Click through the following gallery and learn more about these subtle signs of aging, and what you can do about them.
Libido might decrease as we get older. Women in particular might be less in the mood after menopause. For their part, men might get their mojo sucked out by stress a bit more and lose libido as a consequence.
Our skin changes as years go by. We get wrinkles, dry skin, skin tags, and so on. Some of these are reversible, so if you have a particular concern, address it with your doctor.
Another visible sign of aging is the tiny blood vessels that might start to become more visible on our face. They can be removed with laser treatments, so talk to your doctor if they become a concern.
Skin growths also tend to appear, and some can be scaly as well. Seborrheic keratosis is a common condition that affects lots of us as we grow older.
The hair on your head will likely turn silver, but so will other hair elsewhere on your body. Sometimes, where we least expect it!
As we get older, it's likely that we start growing hair in places we've never had hair before. Your ears and nose are among the most common body parts that will get extra hairy as you age.
Our waistline might increase, even if we're consuming roughly the same amount of calories a day. This is because metabolism slows down as we age.
It will also help you build more muscle mass. This is very important as we tend to loose lean muscle as we age. More muscle means better metabolism, strength, and support for our joints, among other benefits.
Our bones shrink as we age, so yes, we do get shorter and more susceptible to injury.
If you find yourself smiling more, it might be because you're happier. Yes, this can happen as we grow older!
As we age, we tend to lose strength in the muscles that control our bladder. But it can also be a side effect of menopause or other conditions such as diabetes.
When, and if, it starts happening, it's important to check with your doctor what the causes might be. Depending on the cause, there are things you can do, such as cutting down on caffeine or performing strengthening exercises for your pelvic floor muscles.
This tends to happen more as we age, sometimes even due to medication we take. Eat plenty of fiber and drink lots of water. And don't forget to exercise!
Our eyebrows can start to fade as we age. So it's good news if you have very thick ones, but not so much if yours are already thin.
You might find yourself asking what you were saying just a second ago a lot more often. This is normal, but you can delay it by keeping your brain and body busy.
Our teeth might not be as white as they were before and our gums might start receding as well. It's especially important then to keep on top of our dentist appointments.
Years of wearing tight footwear might bend our toes permanently. The development of corns and calluses is also common.
As we grow older, our sweat glands become less responsive, so we tend to sweat less than we did when we were younger.
Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause, and one that sometimes catches women off guard.
These might become more frequent as women grow older. This is due to lower levels of estrogen, which usually protects women from the bacteria that causes urinary tract infections.
Injuries take longer to heal. While it's not known exactly why this happens, things such as reduced blood flow and bone density might have an influence on healing time.
As our eyes get older and tired, all sorts of things can start to affect our vision. You should go for periodic examinations to discard any serious conditions (or to make a plan if they do arise).
Similar to vision, we also tend to struggle with hearing loss as we age. There is a solution for it in many cases. Just make sure you keep on top of it and get it checked out on a regular basis.
Sleep quality might decrease as years go by. It might take us longer to fall asleep. We might make more trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The list goes on. But it's important to keep good sleep habits.
Hangovers tend to get worse as we age. This is mostly due to our body's decreased capacity to metabolize alcohol. There's only one way to avoid this, and we all know it—drink less.
Sources: (It's Rosy) (Mayo Clinic)
Subtle signs of aging you should be aware of
Ancient viruses in your DNA may influence your aging process
HEALTH Age
Researchers have discovered DNA markers associated with retroelements — ancient viral remnants within our genes — that act as highly accurate epigenetic clocks for predicting chronological age. The study, published in the Aging Cell journal, found that these retroelement clocks embedded in the human genome detect unique aging signals that other chronological age-measuring clocks have not previously recognized.
Growing older is part of the human experience. And while our life expectancy has come a long way in the last several decades, earlier than we'd like comes the time when the signs of aging become obvious and we have to deal with the pros and cons of the aging process. Some signs of aging are quite easy to spot: just looking at our skin and hair will gives a hint about it. But there are many other, more subtle, signs of aging that we might not think of as such sometimes.
Click through the following gallery and learn more about these subtle signs of aging, and what you can do about them.