Complaining about loud music
Blasting music is just no longer an option for you anymore. If you find yourself complaining about how loud music is, it may be a sign you’re getting older. Obviously super loud music can be annoying to everyone, but if it’s just your neighbor having fun for 30 mins, it may just be you that’s getting irritated.
Can’t keep up with slang
What are kids these days even saying? Slang and language changes every decade, but if you find yourself wondering what your family are even talking about, it may be a sign you’re getting old. Text abbreviations and internet inside jokes can be hard to decipher, but it’s also probably just past your time.
Choosing comfort over style
The thought of wearing anything without stretch or movement isn’t so appealing now. Maybe your wardrobe is full of long draped tops and loose slacks. As we age, we often get drawn to comfort over style as we feel less need to dress up on the daily.
Early bird specials
Do you find yourself excited and up early for those early bird specials at your local restaurant? This is probably a big sign you’re getting older. The general demographic for early meals at restaurants is 50+, due to retirement ages and also just those wanting to bag a bargain.
Saying “Back in my day…”
This sentence tells us all we need to know. Constantly reminiscing on past days is a sign of aging and also just another way of telling people how long you’ve been around. It can be a habit, especially when modern day things are frustrating and seem too complicated for no reason.
Struggling with new technologies
There’s a new iPhone basically every year, but how much technology do we actually need? Have you found yourself asking a younger family member to help set up your email address or fill in an online form for you? Technology has moved so fast since its true development, so it’s expected not everyone can pick it up as quickly.
Preferring phone calls over text
Texting is annoying and time consuming and you can’t properly express yourself. It seems like the norm for most young people to text constantly and never want to make a phone call, but it’s usually the opposite for those who are older. Except maybe when you want to send a picture of your garden to a friend.
Taking afternoon naps
As you age you actually need more sleep, so if you find yourself taking a regular nap in the afternoon, it could be a sign you’re getting older. Especially because older people tend to wake up at the crack of dawn, after all those errands you may find yourself having a quick snooze in your armchair.
Finding gray hairs
People gray at all ages, many even rock their gray a lot earlier than expected, sprouting more than a few in their mid or late twenties! However, the majority of people tend to gray in their older years and, whilst some attempt to cover it up, it is one of the biggest tell tale signs of aging. Gray hair is great and shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing, though, and more and more people are embracing their more mature style.
Going to bed early
Staying up and partying is off the table. Older people are more easily exhausted, and you may only notice it over time. If you start getting into a bedtime routine and have to be in bed by 9pm latest, you are definitely showing the signs of getting old.
Appetite decreases
The older you get, generally your appetite starts to decrease over time. It won’t be a huge sudden change, but you might find yourself saving half that sandwich or boxing up more leftovers from a restaurant than normal. Luckily a lot of grocery stores offer smaller meal options for older people.
Taking up bird watching
If there’s one stereotypical ‘older’ hobby, it’s bird watching. Because you basically just need binoculars and a chair, it makes a great peaceful hobby for those who may struggle to move a lot, or have gardens they are super proud of. Bird watching groups are also a great way to make friends after retirement.
Enjoying the newspaper over the TV
The newspaper has been around for basically forever in some format, so it’s probably the news outlet you’re the most familiar with. Most people reach for their tv remote when they want to get their daily news, but if you find yourself preferring to read the newspaper, that is generally an older habit to have.
Being excited about practical gifts
A brand new vacuum cleaner over a pair of designer shoes. As we age, we generally start to become more practical and have less desire for flashy things (not everyone, just a lot). So, if you find yourself cheering and super excited over an ‘adult’ purchase or gift, it’s probably because you’re getting older.
You have a pair of driving shoes
This is on another level of practicality. It’s hard to drive in heels or maybe flip flops, but if you have a designated pair of shoes just for driving, that’s generally an old habit to have. Most young people jump in their cars and go, but the older you get, the more you’re wary about danger and safety.
Facebook is your only social media
According to young people, Facebook is designated to older people. Snapchat, TikTok or even instagram seem like complicated apps to get behind, so if you’re sticking to Facebook alone, it’s probably because you’re older. It’s probably better than embarrassing yourself on an app you don’t understand, though! Facebook is also one of the main places older people get their news sources from too.
Teens are more shocking
Their clothes, language and behavior keeps shocking you. Teens have been the same in every decade, no matter how much people say otherwise. But the older you get the more mentally mature you become, so it becomes more noticeable from the outside looking in and you may start to find yourself disapproving without realizing.
You have deeper wrinkles
People start to wrinkle at young ages depending on lifestyle choices and genetics, however deeper wrinkles are usually associated with older age. Wrinkles are natural and should be embraced, as they are signs of a long and expressed life. You will start to develop more wrinkles on your hands and chest too.
You wake up super early (even on weekends)
The older you get, the earlier your alarm clocks gets set. Usually because older people want to ‘seize the day’ more, they tend to not want to spend the day lounging in bed like younger people. So even on weekends and regardless of work plans, older people are generally earlier risers.
You pick up more slow paced hobbies
When you become older you find yourself wanting to slow down. This can be seen through picking up slower paced hobbies. Hobbies like knitting, crafts, baking, gardening etc. are typical hobbies of older people because they don’t require a ton of energy and strength, and a lot of the time can be done from a comfy chair.
You can’t move like you used to
Do your knees click when you stand up? Do you involuntarily grunt when you stand up? As we age our joints and muscles can get tense and feel more stiff, which is a very common sign of aging. You may find you can’t play a lot of sports you love or can’t chase after grandchildren in the garden as much.
You still have a paper address book
Who needs to save everyone’s address in their phones when you have it written in a book? Paper address books are definitely not a modern thing, so if you find yourself still reaching for it and regularly using it, you may be getting older. Especially because a lot of modern smartphones have maps built into them with address saving software.
You’d rather speak to a member of staff than an AI chat bot
It can be so frustrating when you keep getting into conversations with AI or digital chat bots, when all you need is to speak to a real person. If you find yourself grumbling or demanding to ‘speak to a human’ it could be because you’re getting older. A lot of older people avoid using modern technology, and prefer human interaction – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!
Flats over heels
The days of six inch stilettos are over. Upgrading your party heels to some comfier flats is a sign you’re getting older and choosing comfort over style. Heels are not really known for being comfy, but a lot of older people find having their feet constantly elevated to be super uncomfortable and hard to walk in.
Staring sentences with “when I was your age-“
Kids these days. Sometimes we hear or see young people acting a certain way and it can be a habit to start comparing the both of you. If you catch yourself saying “when I was your age I didn’t do…”, it could be time to consider that you’re just getting older, and don’t fully understand the modern day youth.
Feeling the cold more
Needing an extra sweater when it’s not even winter is pretty common amongst older folk. This is due to older people having a thinner layer of fat under their skin as they age, so it’s easier to catch a chill. Also, it’s probably why we associated grandparents with knitted cozy clothes!
Watching what you eat more
Maybe your doctor has recommended more fiber in your diet. If you find yourself reaching for those wholegrain cereals and prunes, it could be a sign your body is aging. Typically older adults need to keep up their fiber intake to help with digestion, but also top keep their cholesterol in track.
You become more house proud
The more time you have in the house, the more likely you are to spend time perfecting the interior. As you age, you may start to have more free time, and that could mean you host more gatherings than before. Knowing you have frequent family visits may draw you to spend more time on chores and picking out the perfect curtains.
Young people seem too grown up
Teenagers just don’t seem like teenagers anymore. Have you found yourself asking why kids are dressing like mini adults, and why young people are vaping or drinking underage? The older you get the more you look back on youth and have an almost protective instinct for younger people.
You grocery shop the at same time every week
If you find yourself in the same grocery store at 8am every week to get the first dibs on produce, it could be a sign you’re getting older. Routine is a big priority for people who are getting older, and they usually try to make their days as productive as possible, especially after retirement.
Loud and busy events aren’t appealing anymore
The thought of being in a loud bar or late night party does not appeal to you anymore. Energy levels begin to dip the older we get, so staying up all night to party isn’t usually on the cards. Loud booming music can also get tiring, so you may prefer to just go home and get comfy on the sofa.
You don’t understand modern music genres
Why are they screaming? Why does the music sound like pots and pans crashing together? Modern day music has moved on a lot since you were probably young, so you just don’t get the hype. Don’t forget the explicits in pretty much every pop song nowadays.
You find yourself giving kids advice
Sometimes you just can’t help yourself giving probably unsolicited advice. The more mature you get the more you can look back on mistakes you’ve made when you were younger, so all you want to do is pass that on to the newest generation. Telling them to save their money, don’t start smoking, eat healthy and be nice to their parents.
You start shopping for new armchairs
The basic armchairs from Ikea just don’t cut it anymore. Have you found yourself browsing specialized magazines for chairs to help support your back, lift your legs or even help you stand up? Generally older people start to invest in body supporting furniture to help them move more as they age.
You’d rather shop in person than online
You get way more enjoyment getting ready to go out for a shopping trip, than sitting on your laptop and searching online. Usually older people shop more on the high street or in malls as they enjoy the human interaction and getting out the house. It can also be frustrating putting in your card details, email address, discount codes etc online.
You get more involved with the community
The more time you have on your hands, the more likely you will start to interact with community projects. Bake sales, church gatherings, potlucks etc. often are run and led by the older generation. Usually because you feel like you want to stay active after retirement or if you’ve dropped your work hours.
Your taste buds change
When we age, our taste buds begin to diminish. Don’t worry though, it doesn’t happen overnight, but you may start to notice salty or sweet things aren’t as strong as you remember. This can also mean you may start to like super sweet or salty foods you may not have liked before, because now the taste isn’t as overpowering.
Alcohol feels a lot stronger
That beer or glass of wine may hit you way harder than you remember. Generally, younger people can handle their liquor better than older people due to the level of water in the body, which helps to dilute the blood alcohol levels. So if you find yourself getting drunk way faster than you remember, it’s probably just aging.
You buy all your clothes from the same store
You’ve found your favorite clothing store and you won’t deviate, ever. Buying all your clothing from a single store is a sign you’re getting older as you’re spending less time exploring your style, and more time getting the quality and comfort that works for you. Especially if you refuse to buy a pair of shoes from anywhere but a comfort shoe specialist…
You keep giving your family members money or baked goods
Slipping your grandchild $20 every time they visit or coming over to a family member’s house with enough pie to feed them for a week. The older we get, we generally become more giving, especially with our close friends and family. It’s a sweet habit to have, and one we normally associate with our grandparents. Awwww!