Getting old can be beautiful.

The sun, the moon, the stars, the passage of time, and aging are natural laws that cannot be avoided. Whether you are a 20-year-old youth or a 70-year-old man, aging is happening all the time. But does aging necessarily mean stagnation and regression? Since "aging" is irreversible, why not face it positively?

The science behind aging

Why do people age? Scientists have discovered that the length of each person's life span has been "determined" long ago! We have a ticking biological clock in our bodies - telomeres. The length of "telomeres" controls the life span of cells and the human body. We all know that cell division and proliferation are the guarantee of life continuation, and chromosomes replicate during cell division. However, during multiple replications, the gene fragments at the tail end of the chromosome will be lost. "Telomeres" are DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that do not participate in gene coding. They are a bit like the plastic sleeves at both ends of shoelaces to prevent wear and tear, ensuring the integrity of each chromosome replication. However, "telomeres" will also wear and shorten during cell replication until they are exhausted, and the cells will begin to die. Therefore, the fundamental reason for human aging is that "telomeres" have become shorter. The speed at which each person's "telomeres" shorten is different, and the speed of aging is also different.

Is it true that the longer the telomere, the better? Researchers have found that excessively long telomeres increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Is there any way to reduce the rate of telomere loss? Yes, there is, and that is telomerase. Telomerase is a protein complex containing short RNA molecules and has reverse transcriptase activity. Telomerase can repair worn telomeres and thus extend the life of cells.

Attitudes about aging affect older adults' physical and mental health

Everyone is bound to age. What is your attitude towards aging? Are the elderly "wise elders" worthy of respect, or "obstacles" and "burdens" on the road of life?

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted an analysis of the World Values ​​Survey data of 83,034 adults in 57 countries, and the results showed that the level of respect for the elderly is low. 60% of the participants reported that the elderly are not respected. The higher the income of the country, the lower the level of respect for the elderly.

Discrimination and stereotypes against individuals or groups based on age are called ageism. A 2015 study found that negative stereotypes about the elderly are widespread in Western culture. These stereotypes affect the self-perception of the elderly and have a negative impact on their cognitive tasks, physical strength, and recovery from illness. Another study showed that elderly people with negative attitudes toward aging walked slower and performed worse on cognitive tasks than those with positive attitudes toward aging.

Not only that, remember the "telomeres" we mentioned above? The amount of "telomerase" is negatively correlated with the psychological stress perceived by the individual. The less "telomerase", the faster the "telomeres" shorten and the faster the body ages. The public's negative attitude will increase the psychological stress of the elderly, strengthen their negative perception of themselves, and accelerate their aging.

Does “ getting older ” necessarily mean stagnation or even decline in development?

The body is no longer young, the health is deteriorating, and things that were easy in the past are no longer easy. You may need help from others to maintain your daily life. These changes are challenges for every elderly person.

Although the physical condition is declining, getting old does not necessarily mean that people will become "confused". The brain structure of the elderly still has neuroplasticity, but this change occurs in the white matter of the brain, not in the cerebral cortex like in young people. Psychological theory has also long proposed that the crystallized intelligence of the elderly is also increasing. Crystallized intelligence corresponds to fluid intelligence and refers to cognitive abilities based on acquired experience in practice.

From the perspective of psychological development, the psychological development of the elderly will not stagnate, but they face different development tasks from other age groups. Psychoanalytic master Jung believes that the elderly is a time for reflection and development of wisdom. The vitality of young people is more directed to external social affairs and family responsibilities, while the vitality of the elderly is more directed to their own hearts. Developmental psychologist Erikson believes that a person's life is divided into 8 stages of psychological development. At each stage, individuals face new social and psychological crises. The problem faced by late adulthood (40-64 years old) is "How to complete the life I think?" The psychological crisis faced is "love and care vs. decadent stagnation". Individuals who successfully overcome the crisis at this stage will develop the psychological quality of "care"; the problem faced by the elderly (65 years old-death) is "Am I satisfied with the process of becoming myself?" The psychological crisis faced is "perfection vs. pessimism and depression". Individuals who overcome this crisis will develop the quality of "wisdom".

"Aging" happens at every moment in our lives, how can we "age positively" ?

According to the statistical report released by the National Bureau of Statistics in August 2019, the average life expectancy in my country has reached 77 years. In the face of the global aging trend, WHO proposed the concept of "Positive Aging" in the last century. Its core concept is that aging is an event throughout the life of an individual human being. In this sense, everyone is an elderly person.

From the perspective of the life course, the health status of the elderly is more due to the influence of the natural and social environment on personal development opportunities and health behaviors. These factors begin to affect a person's aging process in childhood. This perspective includes five guiding principles: life course development - human development and aging are a continuous lifelong process; medium - individuals construct their own lives through their own choices and actions under the opportunities and constraints of the historical and social environment; time and space - the life course of an individual is influenced and shaped by the times he experiences and the place where he lives; timing - the development of life transitions, life events, and behavior patterns, these causes and consequences change with the changes in the timing of a person's life; social connection - life is interdependent, and the impact on individuals will be manifested through the network of relationships shared between people.

Whether you are 20 or 70 years old, you can improve your health (physical + mental) and improve your future quality of life by eating healthy, exercising, participating in social activities and other behaviors.

We don’t need to be afraid of getting old, and we don’t need to worry about becoming someone we don’t want to be when we get old. The power of change lies within us. We all have the ability to age gracefully, regardless of age. Getting old can really be beautiful.

Author: Xu Bai, Psychological Counselor of Zhejiang University, National Level 2 Psychological Counselor

The pictures in this article are from Baotu.com