The fact that it decreases with age. The older you get, the less you sleep: why? (5 photos). How to tone up the body of an elderly person and strengthen its general condition
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Even in ancient times, people knew that with age, the amount of hormones in the human body begins to decrease. People from ancient Greece, India and Egypt took extracts from male reproductive glands belonging to animals.
Today we know that the decline in the level hormones can be explained by the development of various diseases in humans that invariably accompany the aging process (osteoporosis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases).
Some hormonal imbalances can be triggered by other age-related changes, such as obesity, muscle loss, or mental disorders.
Most of these changes occur not only due to changes in the amount of hormones, but also due to the fact that there is a shift in balance between different hormones.
All hormones in the human body belong to two groups: anabolic and catabolic.
Anabolic hormones are responsible for the formation and growth of tissues, they are responsible for strong bones and strong muscles. This group of hormones includes growth hormones, sex hormones, DEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), melatonin, and their level always begins to fall after the end of reproductive age.
In contrast, catabolic hormones are responsible for tissue destruction. The main catabolic hormone is cortisol, a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands.
Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, and estrogen in men behave to some extent like other catabolic hormones. Unlike anabolic hormones, both cortisol and insulin levels with estrogen almost always do not decrease with age.
Insulin begins to be produced if the sugar content rises in the blood, however, insulin does not always work as a catabolic hormone, a small amount of this hormone acts as an anabolic and promotes the growth of certain tissues in the body.
When a person consumes large quantities of sweets or eats foods with a high glycemic index, insulin stimulates the growth of adipose tissue. Over time, the cells' sensitivity to insulin begins to decline and hormone levels rise. This is the reason for gaining extra pounds during aging. With age, there are more catabolics in the body.
What should be done to maintain the correct balance between the two types of hormones as long as possible? Let's talk about how to reverse the accumulation of catabolics in the body.
Aging hormones
Cortisol
In response to stress, the adrenal glands release cortisol into the bloodstream, which leads to increased work of the cardiovascular system and lungs, to a slowdown in digestion, to a decrease in reproductive function and to suppression of immunity.
The powerful spike in cortisol allows a person to run very fast, raises their heart rate, improves vision, and improves mental performance by raising their blood sugar.
However, regular release of this hormone significantly accelerates the aging process, destroys bones (osteoporosis) and muscle tissue (sarcopenia), contributes to the development of diseases, increases blood pressure, retains sodium in the body, destroys human immunity and increases blood sugar.
There is such a problem as Cushing's disease, which is associated with an excess of the hormone cortisol in the body. People who suffer from it, as well as those who have taken a synthetic form of cortisol for a long time, are faced with weak bones and significant loss of muscle mass.
What's more, fear has been shown to increase the production of this hormone, which is known to impair brain activity. When a person is under chronic stress, cortisol is produced by the hormones of youth, testosterone, estrogen and DHEA.
During normal aging, cortisol levels rise gradually, and youth hormone production gradually decreases.
The easiest way to determine how well your youth hormones are fighting the hormones of old age is to find out the ratio of cortisol to DHEA. This can be found out by checking the adrenal glands, at the same time it will show how healthy this organ is.
It is not necessary to donate blood in order to carry out the test. There are special kits with which you can conduct an analysis at home, collecting your saliva 4 times a day (after waking up, at lunch, at dinner and before going to bed).
The normal result is a higher cortisol level in the morning and a gradual decrease throughout the day. Under the influence of chronic stress, the level of cortisol practically does not change throughout the day, as a result, instead of a falling line, we see a straight line. In such stress tests, the ratio of DEA to cortisol can be calculated. In young people, this ratio is high, and with age, there is a tendency to decrease.
To even out the hormone ratios a little, it is recommended to take supplements containing DEA, and also not to forget about herbs such as natural licorice and ashwagandha. Of course, it is necessary to adhere to a lifestyle that will help reduce cortisol levels, as well as eat foods with a low glycemic index, exercise regularly and get enough sleep.
Insulin
If there were a competition between cortisol and insulin on who destroys the human body faster, then most likely insulin would have won. Many experts call insulin the ticket to accelerated aging.
An excess of insulin is accompanied by the development of numerous problems, including an increase in body fat, an increase in the risk of developing heart disease, an acceleration of the development of atherosclerosis, an increase in cortisol levels, and interference with the hormones of adolescence.
Insulin begins to be produced when there is an excessive amount of calories absorbed by a person. When you eat sugar or foods with a high glycemic index, you stimulate hormone production in such an amount that the body begins to separate the sugar from the blood. And as insulin levels rise, the glucose in the blood is immediately converted to fat.
Insulin and cortisol interact with each other in direct proportion. An increase in the level of one of them inevitably leads to an increase in the level of the other.
Among other things, insulin affects the hormones of youth, reducing their effectiveness, which, in turn, accelerates the aging process. For this reason, sugar-rich foods, as well as foods with a high glycemic index, make our bodies age faster than usual.
Youth hormones
A decrease in the amount of catabolic hormones leads to an equalization of their ratio in relation to the level of anabolic hormones of youth. Since ancient times, hormone replacement has been considered the most acceptable way of such a balancing act. Hormone replacement therapy is applied to sex hormones: testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. Below we will talk about the equally important hormones of youth: DEA, melatonin and growth hormone.
DEA
It is the most common steroid hormone produced by the human body. Previously, it was believed that DEA is only the ancestor of other hormones, and in itself does not have any specific properties.
However, later renowned medical practitioner William Regelson came to the conclusion that DEA is a superstar among hormones. The peak of this hormone in the body occurs at the age of 25, gradually starting to decrease with age. By the age of 40, it is less than 50 percent, and by the age of 80, the level of its content in the body is approximately 5 percent of the level in youth.
Does this mean that this hormone can help increase life expectancy? Experiments on animals have shown that supplementation with DEA slows down the aging process and prolongs youth.
It has been proven that men who have more of this hormone in their bodies are much less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. DEA has good anti-inflammatory functions and is able to reduce the number of dangerous pathogens in the body.
Dr. Regelson also emphasizes that this hormone protects us from uncontrolled cell division, which is a clear sign of cancer development.
Useful functions of DEA:
Increases Lean Body Mass
Increases insulin sensitivity and sugar and glucose tolerance
Saves bones from weakness
Strengthens libido
Relieves Depression Symptoms
Eases Menopause Symptoms
Improves memory and actively fights stress
Improves the functioning of the immune system
Reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease
We can say that DEA tames the hormone cortisol to some extent. During times of stress, your body produces large amounts of insulin, which negatively affects the functioning of the immune system, and this already leads to the development of diseases and accelerated aging.
As a result of studies, a link was revealed between suppression of the immune system and an imbalance in the ratio of cortisol and DEA. Supplementation with DHEA may improve the cortisol-suppressed immune system.
It is important to note that since DEA is the grandfather of testosterone, it has a positive effect on libido, as well as aids in burning excess weight and transforming food into energy.
Before you start taking a supplement with DEA, be sure to check its level, and then check it every one and a half to two months to understand that you are moving in the right direction. It is important to remember that since DEA is a more masculine androgenic hormone, it can be converted to testosterone.
DHEA supplementation often also increases prostate-specific antigen levels, an important marker for prostate cancer. Therefore, when starting to take these hormones, men should check the level of this antigen, and while taking them, check every six months.
A growth hormone
In the 1990s, there was a stir around the importance of growth hormone in the fight against aging. It began with a publication by Wisconsin College of Medicine researcher Daniel Rudman.
He described a study with a placebo group in 21 men aged 61-81. Among other positive effects of growth hormone, it also found improved bone health and increased insulin sensitivity, increased muscle mass and improved cholesterol levels, and decreased body fat.
Conducted after this, similar studies have come to similar results. However, it is important to emphasize that without physical activity and an appropriate diet, growth hormone therapy will not help in gaining muscle mass.
Growth hormone affects the cardiovascular system, blood pressure and lipid metabolism. Patients who have been treated with this hormone for 7 years have shown excellent results in the decrease in insulin sensitivity, which necessarily comes with age. For these people, this process was reversed.
Despite the obvious positive effects of growth hormone therapy, there are still dark sides to it. First, the treatment is expensive, from 2 to 8 thousand dollars a year, depending on the dosage. The treatment process is daily injections, and the benefits of this for healthy people are extremely controversial.
In 2002, the US National Institutes of Health conducted a study involving 121 people undergoing growth hormone therapy. The results obtained by Rudman were confirmed, but among other things, some very serious side effects were highlighted:
24 percent of men develop diabetes or glucose resistance;
Thirty-nine percent of women develop dropsy;
41 percent of participants complained of joint aches;
32 percent of the participants developed carpal tunnel syndrome.
Since growth hormone therapy in the fight against aging is a fairly young phenomenon, it is very important to remember about side effects while realizing that long-term research on the safety of HGH injections is still ahead.
However, it is in our power to make our lifestyle in such a way as to achieve a good result without injections. What do you need to do?
1) High-glycemic carbohydrates and sugar help reduce the production of growth hormone in the pituitary gland, and a protein diet increases its production. Thus, by eating less sugar and foods with a high glycemic load, you can increase the level of growth hormone in your body.
2) There are two main factors in the production of growth hormone in healthy people - deep healthy sleep and anaerobic exercise. People who play sports throughout their lives maintain muscle mass in integrity, and with it a high level of growth hormone.
3) In order to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more of this hormone, you need to consume certain amino acids such as glutamine, arginine, glycine and ornithine. Supplements with varying amounts of these amino acids are freely available.
Most people who would like to experience the anti-aging effects of growth hormone are advised to follow the advice above. Until final conclusions are reached, injections should only be given to people with certain diagnoses.
Human vestigial organs
As soon as science reaches the invention of such a technology that will maintain the necessary nutrients in the blood at the required level, a person will no longer need organs that are today responsible for the production of enzymes, chemicals and hormones.
V human body In the future, hormones and related substances will be delivered by nanorobots, and an ideal biofeedback system will control the production of chemicals and maintain the necessary balance between them.
15. Does attention decrease with age!
If you are asking yourself, “Why have I become so distracted lately? I used to be much more attentive, ”- perhaps you have valid reasons for this. As we age, we become more and more sensitive to outside interference and distractions. This is why it is difficult for older people to do several things at the same time as efficiently. Some people get tired and irritated more quickly from their own inability to concentrate. Many split-attention tests have shown that this syndrome gets worse with age. The consequences of this are often dire: older people tend to give up activities that brought them pleasure, on the grounds that they cannot do them as successfully as they used to.
In fact, a lot here depends on the organization. After giving up "polymorphic activity" (that is, combining several things), a person must learn to focus on things of primary importance. Let's remember Montaigne's charming dictum: “When I dance, I dance; when I sleep, I sleep. " Long live those who know how to fully devote themselves to any one business! They enjoy it much more. Yes, indeed, some of the consequences of aging are unavoidable (slowing down of metabolism, sensitivity to outside disturbances), but a person is able to adapt to them by slightly changing the usual norms of behavior. You are either reading or watching TV. You are either studying a recipe or chatting with a friend. Doing one thing at a time will give you satisfaction from the effectiveness of your actions.
Internal organization helps to identify problems and find solutions. As your attention weakens, you must learn to anticipate situations and prepare in advance for them. By solving attention problems, you will eliminate half of the so-called memory troubles. Get in the habit of using hints. If you suddenly remembered, “I have to send this letter and return the book to Mike,” do both the first and the second immediately. If this is not possible, take urgent measures to ensure that you do not forget about business by the time you leave the house. Put a letter and a book near your bag or coat - then you will not forget about them. The weaker your focus, the more you need these strategies. So, be more organized:
Act immediately after thinking about the need to do something: “do it this minute”;
Use visual or auditory cues;
Place the items you need in prominent places;
Do only one thing at a time;
Anticipate situations in which your attention is dimmed.
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Sometimes, old people seem to us to be eternally dissatisfied and forgetful citizens, with wrinkles on their faces, but science reveals to us a completely different side of the coin: older people usually become smarter over the years, more tolerant in their views and, basically, satisfied with their fate.
Liberal views
Previously, it was believed that as humanity grows older, it becomes stiff in outlook on life, but recent research by scientists proves otherwise.
Researchers conducted a survey of several thousand people, during which they obtained results demonstrating age-related changes in the views of the world around different categories of people.
It turned out that with age, a person is more liberal in relation to political activity, family, material and spiritual values.
Aging of stem cells together with a person
Depending on how quickly the body ages, almost all cells go through a stage of change, and, despite the fact that there is a constant renewal and replacement of a new stem cell, it still wears out.
Scientific data have shown that the ability to regenerate cells decreases with age.
Experiments carried out by scientists on mice only confirm this fact.
And, of course, the genetic background of the human body, which is responsible for diseases and stressful situations, becomes more dynamic over time.
The need for sleep decreases with age
After examining the need for sleep of several age groups, with an interval of 20 to 83 years, scientists have come to the conclusion that the need for sleep with age decreases with a duration of 20 minutes.
This is explained by the fact that an elderly person does not need a lot of time to sleep, although many people of the elderly age 65 and older suffer from, this happens when it takes more time to fall asleep.
Abstraction gets worse
Frequent problems of abstraction in time and the all-round flow of information are another disappointing factor affecting the lives of aging people.
The ability to control the situation and concentrate on something gradually deteriorates with age
Yet, according to Canadian psychologists, old people can distinguish more important information from insignificant, which has a positive effect on.
The skin condition will worsen
Upon reaching the age of 50, it begins to sag, the epidermis becomes thin, along with this, the elasticity and firmness of the upper layer of the skin is lost, which leads to the formation of wrinkles and folds on the skin of the face.
Usually, in such cases, the use of various kinds of injections and rejuvenation procedures gives an insufficient, ineffective result, since the bones of the jaw and eye sockets also wear out over time, as a result of which the upper eyelids sag and the cheeks sink.
The sense of humor will remain the same
Laughter has always been good for the human body, including the elderly.
Old people who value humor and are sympathetic to it - respond effectively and tolerate stress more easily
As a result, the quality of life improves, and the aging process itself is easier and more optimistic for a person.
A more positive attitude towards life
The imaginary stereotypes about dissatisfied and gloomy people of the older generation have not been proven by science; it is quite typical to test the level of joy and happiness in more mature years.
Sociologists, in the course of surveys and observations, note: the level of happiness, in most cases, directly depends on such components as health, family and material income, which, as a rule, do not always justify themselves in old age.
And although the younger generation is often happier than the old, age-related change still changes attitudes towards the environment.
So, for example, there is scientific confirmation that the older generation recalls their past with optimism and a positive mood, perceiving everything in a rosy light.
Conclusion
Old age is not a final judgment, but a special gift.
Despite the fact that over time the physical body and the human body undergo significant changes - the soul always remains young, with a large, rich experience of days lived.
Freed from fears and illusions, a person of old age becomes kinder, more loyal and less critical of himself.
The main advantage of old age is a great accumulation of wisdom and prudence in life, taking into account all these advantages, you should not forget about this, and then life will be filled with meaning and become full.
The widespread belief is that the intellectual abilities of a person inevitably deteriorate with age. It is believed that after graduating from school and graduating from the institute, we acquire the bulk of knowledge, we get the main working skills until the age of 30-35, and then a decline will surely begin. We believe it and ... we are afraid. But do people really get stupid with age?
The first thing I would like to note is that the feeling that you are stupid is irrational, like any feeling. Some real facts may serve as an impetus for it, but it would be haste to draw conclusions on its basis. Therefore, we will analyze the scientific arguments.
What happens to the brain as a person grows up? In infants and young children, brain development occurs most intensively. For the first time, neural connections are established, which will later become the basis of the skills familiar to an adult - walking, speaking, reading and writing. But can the average baby be said to be smarter than a student?
By the way, here is the first fact: a high intensity of processes in the brain does not mean the highest intellectual abilities. The baby is developing so actively, because he needs to have time to lay the "base" for the future life. The same can be said for schoolchildren and even college students.
On last classes school and at the time of study at the institute (that is, at the age of approximately between 15 and 25 years), there really is a peak in the ability to remember new information and master unfamiliar subject areas. This is partly due to biochemical processes in the brain: nerve cells begin to gradually die off after 20 years.
Although, as studies have shown, the volume of dead cells is insignificant and actually practically does not affect a person's thinking abilities, especially when you consider that the number of neurons themselves is only 10 percent of the total brain volume. But there are other reasons: the less knowledge we have, the more easily our brain absorbs it, like a sponge.
And with age, when we have already accumulated a certain baggage of information and developed critical thinking, any new information must be tested (whether it is consistent with the rest of our knowledge, whether it does not contradict it) and "fit" into the existing picture of the world.
It is not surprising that it will take longer for a 40-year-old to assimilate the same amount of new information than a 20-year-old. . But his intellectual resources will be more active at the same time: he will do the work not only to memorize new information, but also subject them to critical comprehension and refresh all previous knowledge concerning this topic.
Moreover, scientists have already refuted the postulate that with the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood, the brain loses its ability to plastic - the formation of new nerve cells and connections between them. Studies of the brain activity of people who have suffered a stroke have shown that the adult brain is capable of producing neurons and establishing new connections between them.
There is another psychological factor: the more we learn, the less significant the increase in new knowledge seems. A first-year student who has studied for six months feels incredibly wiser compared to his school period. The person getting the second higher education or those taking advanced training courses, no longer feel such euphoria, although they do no less mental work.
However, there is some truth to the assumption that many people get stupid with age. And it consists in this: intellectual abilities need training. Getting education (which is laid down by the standard "social" program), we, willingly or unwillingly, “train” our neurons.
And then everything depends only on us: on the choice of work, leisure time, the breadth of views on life, the number of books read ... Moreover, the development of the brain occurs not only during intellectual work - a variety of impressions also has a beneficial effect on its work.
That is, "training the brain" means not only reading new books, but also mastering new sports, traveling to places where you have never been, learning to play board games - whatever.
And here the psychological factor also plays a significant role: the one who considers such leisure "childish" and unworthy of a respectable adult, or the one who does not want to play the role of a beginner, preferring to always and in everything to be at his best, in the future significantly reduces his mental development.
Observing the conditions of "brain training", with age you will be able to observe not a decrease, but even an increase in intellectual capabilities, experts say. If the main advantage of students and young people is the speed of assimilation of new information, then middle-aged people are most productive where they can use the knowledge and experience they have accumulated, primarily in the professional sphere.
After 30-35 years, a person's level of analytical skills increases, as well as self-esteem, which has a beneficial effect on many areas of activity - from the quality of communication skills to the effectiveness of solving problems in a team.
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Today I want to reveal a little the topic of reduced motivation and procrastination in the context of age. Many complain that the older you get, the less energy and desire to achieve your goals, the less enthusiasm and fighting spirit. Not all, and not always, but there is a certain tendency. However, the thirst for change, the thirst for more, our dreams do not go anywhere, that is, the desire to receive remains, and the desire to achieve becomes weaker over time.
What are the reasons for these changes? Where does the former courage, ambition, determination and willingness to act go?
1⃣ With age, we have more worries, responsibilities, we perform different roles, we assume much greater responsibility than in our youth. All this depletes us, takes energy, reduces the resources of willpower, therefore, ambitious goals that are early years seemed quite achievable, with age they can be perceived as empty dreams and fantasies. It seems to us that we will not be able to cope, we will not have enough strength and abilities, that we are no longer the same.
2⃣ Our willingness to take risks is significantly reduced, we tend to be more careful in our decisions, we have a lot to lose. In addition, we are already responsible not only for ourselves, but also for our children, and sometimes also for the parents we care about and who count on us. The propensity to take risks and make bold decisions is also reduced because we can more fully assess possible consequences of our choice, we already have experience, and not always positive, I'm not talking about limiting beliefs and attitudes that do not allow us to follow a dream.
3⃣ The older we get, the more we value stability, comfort and business as usual. This is partly due to the fact that in this way, unconsciously, we try to conserve energy, our inner resources to complete current tasks and solve endless problems and challenges in life. In addition, we often neglect sleep and quality rest, we cannot find time for sports and our hobbies, that is, we take away the opportunity to recover, replenish our reserves of vitality.
4⃣ We tend to draw conclusions about the future based on our past: if we didn’t succeed in achieving our goals earlier, then it’s unlikely to succeed in the future. Do not forget about the influence of the environment, which does not always support our endeavors, and sometimes openly suppresses the desire to change something in us. The role of stereotypes and all sorts of folk wisdom also adds fuel to the fire: “it's too late to change something, the train has left”, “in pursuit of a crane, you'll miss a tit,” “where you were born, it came in handy there,” “born to crawl, won't be able to fly” etc.
👉 Write in the comments how you are doing with motivation, energy, have you noticed changes with age in your readiness to achieve ambitious goals?
