Aging brings a better knowledge of who you are and what irks you the most. While it’s definitely a personal learning curve, there are also many tiresome situations that only arise the older you get. Here are 18 realities of life that, sadly, turn more bitter with age.
You Can’t Move Without Cracking
Just when you’re trying to enjoy more peace and quiet in older age, your body is working against you. Morning stretches risk waking up the whole neighborhood with cracks, but, as Medical News Today reminds us, those stretches first thing will help to aid mobility and ease stress, so keep them up!
You Spend Most of Your Time Searching for Your Glasses
Needing a prescription when you were younger wasn’t too bad, but the situation seems to have become more dire with age. Now, you spend most of your spare time searching for glasses that are already on your head, to the point where you succumb to a handy neck chain.
Birthday Cakes Become a Fire Hazard
Thanks to all the jokes from your loved ones about how the candles are bigger than the cake, you’re opting to switch for the numbered candles instead simply to avoid needing the fire extinguisher. You might have even got to the point of saving someone the trouble of lighting all those candles at all!
You Now Seem to Communicate Through Grunting
Whether you intend to or not, grunting has now become the language of the day, most commonly when you’re sitting down or standing up. Even your loved ones around you have become attuned to what certain grunts mean, and you realize that’s now your preferred form of exchange.
Realizing That Magnifiers Are Your Most Prized Possession
Too many trips to the grocery store and failing to read labels may have made you realize how important a dependable collection of magnifiers actually is. You now own more of them than you do pens, and always make sure you have at least one in your pocket.
You Can’t Stop Saying “Back in My Day”
Even if you don’t want to be that older person who constantly makes references to “back in my day”, you can’t help it. A bitter reality is that you’re catching yourself being nostalgic every other sentence. Sadly, you’ve probably noticed this only serves to alienate more and more younger people.
Trying to Remain Stylish and Comfortable is Impossible
As you grow old, you can no longer resist the allure of the elastic waistband and orthopedic shoes, gravitating toward anything that’s functional rather than fashionable. If you’re becoming bitter about your lack of style, Town & Country Magazine advises wearing pops of color and dainty jewelry to add some style over 50!
The Love-Hate Relationship with Salt
How much salt you have in your diet wasn’t something you were overly worried about before, but with age comes the ongoing battle with too much salt. You’ve had to redesign your meal plans to implement different spices or salt alternatives to try and limit your sodium intake – and you’re not happy about it.
Staying Up Late
Not only can you no longer hope to stay up late, but what you consider as late is now 9 pm, and you’re fine with that! The idea of going out, socially drinking until late, or even – dare we say – clubbing fills you with dread. You feel more bitter about missing any precious sleep.
Bathroom Trips Now Have To Be a Nighttime Ritual
Another bitter reality of aging is having zero hope of getting a full night’s sleep without needing to get up for the toilet in the night. Living with others has become a full stealth mission; you have to journey through the house in the dark down to a T.
Not Being Able to Nap
Speaking of sleeping – napping is now a fundamental part of your routine, which means having to skip a nap can leave you very cranky indeed. But remember: anything longer than an hour and a half may negatively impact cognitive function, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Your Body is Never Quiet
You’ve been advised to practice mindfulness, relaxation, and maybe even meditation at an older age, but the reality is you can’t get a moment’s peace thanks to your body. You’re discovering new noises and gurgles you didn’t even know it was possible to make, but don’t worry too much–it’s pretty normal.
Switching Between Different Types of Glasses is a Chore
You’ve begun to collect more pairs of glasses as you get older, whether for reading or just being able to see others in the room! However, frustration mounts when you’re faced with constantly switching between and needing to have all pairs of them with you at all times, just in case.
You Can’t Indulge in Food Like You Used To
Your mind is telling you that you still love that slice of cake and pizza topping that you always did in your youth, but now, your body has other plans. Heartburn and bloating are the orders of the day, not to mention advice that you should probably cut down on eating.
Growing Tech Troubles
You don’t remember having this much trouble with technology before, but the ever-expanding world of gadgets means you’ve become that older person who has to ask their loved ones for help. You can no longer keep up with technology, and you’ve given up trying. It’s a confusing world out there!
Becoming the Driver You Used to Complain About
Nobody wants to admit it when they get older, but they’ve gradually become that slow and careful driver they always used to sit impatiently behind. You’ve realized that driving a little slower is more relaxing, and a smoother ride is preferable to road rage. This can only be a good thing!
Mastering Social Media
You’re beginning to question day by day why you’re still making an effort with social media at all. You’ve managed to learn different social media platforms to stay social, yet they keep getting updated faster than you can keep up! It causes all sorts of embarrassing mistakes, much to the amusement of kids.
Retirement Feels Like Everyday Is Sunday
Finally, when the retirement age hits, you no longer suffer from Monday morning blues. This may sound positive, but the harsh reality is that endless free time means you’ve forgotten what day it is. The key to retirement “isn’t how much free time you have… it’s how you manage whatever free time you have”, advises Forbes.