bbc - future - what’s the prime of your life

5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 1/20

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Isageinganinevitabledeclineorarethereunexpectedperkstogettingolder?DavidRobsonreports.

Doyoueverworrythattheprimeofyourlifehasalreadypassedyoubyanditdidntevenhavethecourtesytoletyouknowasitflewoverhead?

Theysaythatlifebeginsat40,orthat60isthenew50butwhatsthetruth?Whatsthebestagetobe?

Tofindout,BBCFuturescouredthemedicalliterature,examininghoweverythingfromyourmemorytoyoursexdrivechangesacrossthelifetime.Andwewerepleasantlysurprisedbywhatwefound.

Considerphysicalfitness.

ByDavidRobson26May2015

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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 2/20

Foractivitiesthatrequireshortandsuddenburstsofenergylikethe100msprint,shotput,orjavelinthestartingpistolshouldhavefiredbyyourmid20s,sincethereisarapiddeclinethereafter.Footballershittheirstrideevenyounger.

"Somesportssuitolderathletesbetter

Yetolderathletesperformmuchbetteringruellingultraenduranceevents,suchas100km,or1000km,marathons.Evenafteryour30sand40s,thedeclineisgradual.SunnyMcKee,forinstance,celebratedher61stbirthdaybycompetinginherfirstIronmanTriathlon,whichinvolveda180kilometre(112mile)cycleride,combinedwithamarathonand4km(2.5mile)swim.Indeed,manycompetitorsaresoaddictedtothesepunishingsportsthattheypushonintotheir70s.

Atfirstglance,themindsfateislesscheering.

(Credit:NigelHawtin)

5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 3/20

Pastyour20s,yourabilitytocommitnewfactstomemoryhasalreadyseenbetterdays.Infact,ithadprobablystartedlosingitsshineevenbythetimeyoudleftschool.Ourcapacitytoholdinformationintheworkingmemorysuchasaroundofdrinksinthepubplateausforalittlelonger,butittoosteadilydropsinour40s.

"Youhityourcreativepeakyoung

Evenmoredepressingly,youmayhavealsopassedthezenithofyourcreativitymostNobelprizewinningdiscoverieshavebeenmadebyaround40andourwhitematter,thelongdistanceconnectionsthatformthebrainsinformationsuperhighways,tendtostartdwindlingtoo.Thatcouldmakethebrainslower,overall.

Yetthereisasilverlining(andImnottalkingaboutyourhair).

(Credit:NigelHawtin)

5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 4/20

"Ourmentalabilitiesriseandfallinwaves

Althoughfactsmaytakealittlelongertostick,otherskillskeepsondevelopingreadingcomprehensionandarithmetic,forinstance,continuetoimproveintomiddleage.Socialreasoningourabilitytomanoeuvreourwaythroughthecomplexitiesofourfriendshipspeaksevenlater.Inotherwords,ourmentalabilitiesriseandfallinwavesasonecresthaspassed,anotherisonitsway.Theresnoageatwhichwearebestateverythingorevenmostthings,saysJoshHartshorneatHarvardUniversity,whoconductedmuchoftheresearch.

Therecouldevenbeanupsidetoyourflagginglibido.

(Credit:NigelHawtin)

5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 5/20

"30%ofhealthypeopleaged6574havesexatleastonceaweek

Ifsitcomsandmoviesaretobebelieved,your20sand30saresomethingofanongoingorgy.Infact,neithersexualdesire,norsexualactivity,falloffveryquicklyuntilwellintoyour50s.Andeventhenthedeclineisfarfromprecipitous.Accordingtoonepaperexaminingsexuallyactivelifeexpectancy,menwhoare55todaycanexpectanother15orsoyearsofrelativelyfrequentsexwomenofthatagecanexpectslightlymorethanadecade.Intercoursemaynotbequiteasregularorvigorousasitoncewas,butaccordingtothatstudy,30%ofhealthypeopleaged6574stillenjoysexatleastonceaweek.

Whatsmore,thefallingsexdrivemayhaveothercompensationsjustasyourlibidostartsfalling,yourzestforliferises.Thisissomethingofaparadox,giventhephysicalcomplaintsthatcomewithage,butitcouldbepartlydowntothefactthatyouhavefinallylearnttobalanceyouremotionsafterthetumultofthepreviousdecades.

Elixirofyouth?

Sowhatarewetotakeawayfromthesefindings?Crudelyspeaking,youmayconclude

(Credit:NigelHawtin)

5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 6/20

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thatyouareatyoursexualpeakinyour20s,yourphysicalpeakinyour30s,yourmentalpeakinyour40sand50sandatyourhappiestinyour60sbutthesearejustaverages,soyourowntrajectoriesmayfollowverydifferentpaths.Perhapsmoreimportantisthegeneralrecognitionthatagebringsitsequalsharesofupsanddownsthereisno,overall,primeofyourlife.

"Thesecrettopeakinglater?Unfortunatelyitrequireseffort

Themorehearteningnewsisthatsomeofthelesswelcomepitfallsarelessinevitablethanyoumightimagine.Exercise,inparticular,notonlyensureslongerphysicalfitness,andfightsarangeofagerelateddiseaseslikediabetesandcancer,butalsostrengthensaweakeningmemorytoo.Peopleingoodhealthalsoenjoyaboutfivemoreyearsofsexualactivityattheendofthelife.Itreallyistheclosestwevegottoanelixirofyouth.

Psychologistsarealsorealisingthatyourmentalattitudecouldplayabiggerrolethanyoudthink.Somepeoplereportfeelingyoungerthantheiryearsayouthfuloutlookthatcancausethemtobemoreactive,andlivelongerasaconsequence.Inotherwords,somelimitationsmaybeselfimposed,ratherthanbeinganinevitableproductofourbodyswearandtear.

Nothingcanhelpusreversetheprocessofageing.Butbymappingtheterrainandacknowledgingthehighsaswellasthelows,wecanatleastmakeitamorepleasantjourney.Anotherpeakmaybeyettocome.

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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 7/20

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