10 Shocking Signs of Aging You Never Saw Coming

We’re not getting any younger. The wrinkles on our faces and greying hair offer us daily reminders of our inevitable aging. 

However, some signs of aging aren’t so obvious. A recent Ask Reddit thread had users discussing the more subtle signs of aging. I think we can all relate to these!

Turning the Music Down to See Where You’re Going

Two older women riding in a car, one is driving and the other has a map.
Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images via Shutterstock.com.

When we were young, we drove with the music blasting without a care in the world. Now that we’re older, that pesky radio gets in the way of us seeing where we’re going. 

If you’ve ever turned the music down to focus on finding an address, you can probably relate. 

Time Flies

sand running through an hourglass to represent quotes about time.
Photo Credit: Min C. Chiu via Shutterstock.com.

Why does time seem to move faster as we age? One day, we look in the mirror and realize 20 years have passed. How does that happen?

Easily Annoyed

Annoyed woman with her hand up as if to say "stop."
Photo Credit: ESB Professional via Shutterstock.com.

It’s harder to let minor conveniences roll off our shoulders as we age. Maybe this is why grumpy old folks get mad when kids walk on their grass. 

It Gets Late Earlier

tired woman in pajamas looks like she just woke up.
Photo credit: Cast Of Thousands via Shutterstock.com.

Remember when you used to stay up past midnight every night, then get up and go to work without a problem? Midnight now seems like the wee hours of morn as we insist on going to bed earlier and earlier. 

9 pm is now late.

30 Years Ago Was When??

Glamourous looking woman with a shocked expression and hands on her face.
Photo Credit: LightField Studios via Shutterstock.com.

As we age, our perception of time changes. You can’t convince people that the 90s were 30 years ago – the 70s were 30s years ago, and the 90s just ended!

Can’t Relate to Younger Generations

Diverse group of teenagers hanging out outside.
Photo Credit: oneinchpunch via Shutterstock.com.

Older folks are constantly complaining about “Kids these Days.” Maybe they have a point. As we get older, we forget what it’s like to be young and can no longer relate to the challenges younger people face. 

Everything Hurts

Woman sitting on a bed with her hands on her back and red light eminating from her back to show she's experiencing back pain.
Photo Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds via Shutterstock.com.

As we age, our body becomes less forgiving. One wrong move can injure our backs for days, and we often don’t even know why something hurts. Random pain is one of those things we have to deal with as we age. 

Gardening is…Fun?

Happy woman smiling as she works in her garden.
Photo Credit: Ground Picture via Shutterstock.com.

Why do older folks love gardening? As it turns out, many of us find unexpected comfort in plants as we grow older. Where we used to spend time at the movies and shopping malls, you can now find us in gardening centers. 

Prefer Solitude

person sitting alone on a dock over a lake enjoying the solitude.
Photo Credit: Jon Beyerle via Shutterstock.com.

When we’re in our teens and twenties, we’re constantly surrounded by groups of friends. These friend groups fall apart as we age, but we realize we don’t miss them that much. We prefer to spend the majority of our time alone. 

Nostalgia

Older man and younger woman that could be father and daughter looking at a photo album together.
Photo Credit: Kitreel via Shutterstock.com.

Nostalgia used to lack meaning, but as we age and find comfort in the joys of our childhood, we understand how impactful it is. 

We get desperate to relive the best times, so we buy old-school video game consoles and rewatch the old shows we used to love. 

Self Care Becomes Essential

woman hugging herself to represent self-care Sunday ideas
Photo Credit: Cast Of Thousands via Shutterstock.com.

Self-Care is essential to wellbeing, especially as we get older. Try one of these indulgent self care activities when you have a moment of spare time

How Journaling Can Boost Your Mental Health

woman smiling and journaling to represent types of journals
Photo Credit; mimagephotography via Shutterstock.com.

Increase your health and wellness with a simple, low cost tool: Journaling. But don’t take our word for it. 

Mental health experts speak out about all the benefits journaling offers

Let Your Free Spirit Soar

Woman smiling in the passenger seat of a car to represent road trip games
Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images via Shutterstock.com.

Are you a free spirit, forced to live in a little box by society’s constraints? Here are some tips for letting your spirit soar

Be True To Yourself

happy woman holding shopping bags
Photo Credit: Dean Drobot via Shutterstock.com.

To live a happy, healthy, life, you must be true to yourself. It can be hard to be ourselves when society wants to force us to be something we’re not. Here are 16 ways to be unapologetically you

37 Tips for Living Your Best Life

happy smiling woman holding a flower over one eye on an orange background
Photo Credit: Maria Markevich via Shutterstock.com.

The life you want is within reach! Here are 37 tips to help you live a fulfilling life

Aging Isn’t All Bad

Smiling happy senior woman.
Photo Credit: Ground Picture via Shutterstock.com.

Though some signs of aging are annoying, as these Reddit users pointed out, growing older has perks. We no longer care what people think, and many of us have the financial security to do whatever we want. 

So enjoy getting older, despite the drawbacks!