What Happens to Your Body After 40, and Why It’s Important to Know About It

The fear of aging is one of the most common fears that people have. Psychologists think that it’s fine if you’re afraid of getting older. But you have to overcome your fear and understand that all ages have their advantages and drawbacks. In this article, we’ll tell you what happens to the body when a person turns 40.

Bright Side has decided to consider both the negative and the positive aspects of aging. And we feel we have to point out that not all these changes are going to happen to you — it depends on your health and lifestyle.

10. Our hair becomes less dense.

This problem occurs mostly in men but many people lose their thick hair before they turn 30, and 53% of men go bald after 40. Women also lose hair but slower than men. Yes, it’s unpleasant but there’s also an advantage: your body hair stops growing too.

To prevent rapid hair loss, take care of your hair: cut it from time to time, apply masks, and stop using a hairdryer. Diversify your diet and eat more vitamins. You may also visit a trichologist who can find out the cause of your hair loss and help you to cope with your problem.

9. It’ll be easier to be a good parent.

40-year-old men and women have more life experience, they cope with difficulties better, and know what to do in challenging situations. What’s more, they’re more secure financially than 20-year-old people. It means that “older” parents will be able to give their baby everything they need.

But there are also a few drawbacks: it’s way more complicated for a woman to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby. So if you have a choice and desire, it’s better to have kids earlier. We also have to admit that modern science deals well with problems connected with the reproductive system of men and women.

8. Lactose intolerance may occur.

Some people can’t digest dairy products from childhood and others acquire this issue later on. Lactose intolerance usually affects African American and Asian women over 40. At this age, the level of lactase enzyme that helps digest lactose decreases. As a result, milk can’t be digested and causes large intestine issues.

If you experience this problem, drink lactose-free milk and consume probiotics.

7. Our teeth become less sensitive.

If you suffer from teeth sensitivity while you’re young, this problem may vanish when you get older. It happens because of dentin, a calcified tissue that grows as time passes. That’s why sensitivity reduces.

Nevertheless, there’s also a drawback: after these changes, there’s a chance that you won’t understand that something’s wrong with your teeth. So it’s recommended to visit a dentist on a regular basis.

6. We shrink as we age.

People start shrinking after 30 years old and you can literally see these changes when you turn 40. According to the data collected by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, men can gradually lose an inch between the ages of 30 and 70, and women can lose about 2 inches.

In order to not get shorter, eat foods containing calcium and vitamin D and don’t forget to exercise.

5. Our metabolism decreases.

If at 40, you eat the same food as you used to eat at the age of 20, you’ll gain weight really fast. The thing is, after 40, our metabolism decreases and we lose muscle faster. Dr. Kathryn Boling says that the average woman gains around 15 lb between the ages of 40 and 55.

To avoid this unpleasant issue, we have to follow a healthy diet and exercise. Unfortunately, there are no magic recipes that can help us become fit. We have to work hard to be in perfect shape.

4. We become more attractive and self-confident.

Psychologists claim that women are more self-confident after 40 than women at the age of 20 or even 30. This fact helps them love themselves, never worry about little things, get rid of toxic people, and be really happy and financially independent.

At this age, people re-evaluate themselves and the people around them. So both men and women become more attractive in others’ eyes.

3. Our hearing and vision may get worse.

At the age of 40, people start experiencing far-sightedness or other eyesight issues: as a rule, people need more light to read and they also notice changes in color perception. Another eyesight problem is dry eyes.

Our hearing worsens too. It happens because of changes in the structure of the tympanic membrane and the inner ear.

To discover a problem on time, visit a doctor from occasionally.

2. Our immune system gets stronger.

By the age of 40, people have already been attacked by lots of various viruses. As a result, our immune system gets stronger and we get sick less often.

To improve your immune system, you have to lead a healthy lifestyle and get enough sleep. What’s more, it’s also crucial to spend time outdoors and breathe fresh air.

1. Our sense of taste changes.

When we’re born, we have around 9,000 taste receptors. When we get older, the amount of these receptors reduces and we start losing some taste sensation, usually beginning with salty and sweet tastes and then bitter and sour ones. By the way, these changes occur in women earlier than in men.

Unfortunately, we can’t stop this process, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to distinguish between different tastes, they’ll just be less bright.

We hope this article will help you get prepared for the future and not worry about these changes. Keep in mind that you can slow down the process of aging with the help of experts.

Do you know any other changes that happen to our bodies after 40?