BBC - Future - What’s the Prime of Your Life
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Transcript of BBC - Future - What’s the Prime of Your Life
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 1/20
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Isageinganinevitabledeclineorarethereunexpectedperkstogettingolder?DavidRobsonreports.
Doyoueverworrythattheprimeofyourlifehasalreadypassedyoubyanditdidntevenhavethecourtesytoletyouknowasitflewoverhead?
Theysaythatlifebeginsat40,orthat60isthenew50butwhatsthetruth?Whatsthebestagetobe?
Tofindout,BBCFuturescouredthemedicalliterature,examininghoweverythingfromyourmemorytoyoursexdrivechangesacrossthelifetime.Andwewerepleasantlysurprisedbywhatwefound.
Considerphysicalfitness.
ByDavidRobson26May2015
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 2/20
Foractivitiesthatrequireshortandsuddenburstsofenergylikethe100msprint,shotput,orjavelinthestartingpistolshouldhavefiredbyyourmid20s,sincethereisarapiddeclinethereafter.Footballershittheirstrideevenyounger.
"Somesportssuitolderathletesbetter
Yetolderathletesperformmuchbetteringruellingultraenduranceevents,suchas100km,or1000km,marathons.Evenafteryour30sand40s,thedeclineisgradual.SunnyMcKee,forinstance,celebratedher61stbirthdaybycompetinginherfirstIronmanTriathlon,whichinvolveda180kilometre(112mile)cycleride,combinedwithamarathonand4km(2.5mile)swim.Indeed,manycompetitorsaresoaddictedtothesepunishingsportsthattheypushonintotheir70s.
Atfirstglance,themindsfateislesscheering.
(Credit:NigelHawtin)
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 3/20
Pastyour20s,yourabilitytocommitnewfactstomemoryhasalreadyseenbetterdays.Infact,ithadprobablystartedlosingitsshineevenbythetimeyoudleftschool.Ourcapacitytoholdinformationintheworkingmemorysuchasaroundofdrinksinthepubplateausforalittlelonger,butittoosteadilydropsinour40s.
"Youhityourcreativepeakyoung
Evenmoredepressingly,youmayhavealsopassedthezenithofyourcreativitymostNobelprizewinningdiscoverieshavebeenmadebyaround40andourwhitematter,thelongdistanceconnectionsthatformthebrainsinformationsuperhighways,tendtostartdwindlingtoo.Thatcouldmakethebrainslower,overall.
Yetthereisasilverlining(andImnottalkingaboutyourhair).
(Credit:NigelHawtin)
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 4/20
"Ourmentalabilitiesriseandfallinwaves
Althoughfactsmaytakealittlelongertostick,otherskillskeepsondevelopingreadingcomprehensionandarithmetic,forinstance,continuetoimproveintomiddleage.Socialreasoningourabilitytomanoeuvreourwaythroughthecomplexitiesofourfriendshipspeaksevenlater.Inotherwords,ourmentalabilitiesriseandfallinwavesasonecresthaspassed,anotherisonitsway.Theresnoageatwhichwearebestateverythingorevenmostthings,saysJoshHartshorneatHarvardUniversity,whoconductedmuchoftheresearch.
Therecouldevenbeanupsidetoyourflagginglibido.
(Credit:NigelHawtin)
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 5/20
"30%ofhealthypeopleaged6574havesexatleastonceaweek
Ifsitcomsandmoviesaretobebelieved,your20sand30saresomethingofanongoingorgy.Infact,neithersexualdesire,norsexualactivity,falloffveryquicklyuntilwellintoyour50s.Andeventhenthedeclineisfarfromprecipitous.Accordingtoonepaperexaminingsexuallyactivelifeexpectancy,menwhoare55todaycanexpectanother15orsoyearsofrelativelyfrequentsexwomenofthatagecanexpectslightlymorethanadecade.Intercoursemaynotbequiteasregularorvigorousasitoncewas,butaccordingtothatstudy,30%ofhealthypeopleaged6574stillenjoysexatleastonceaweek.
Whatsmore,thefallingsexdrivemayhaveothercompensationsjustasyourlibidostartsfalling,yourzestforliferises.Thisissomethingofaparadox,giventhephysicalcomplaintsthatcomewithage,butitcouldbepartlydowntothefactthatyouhavefinallylearnttobalanceyouremotionsafterthetumultofthepreviousdecades.
Elixirofyouth?
Sowhatarewetotakeawayfromthesefindings?Crudelyspeaking,youmayconclude
(Credit:NigelHawtin)
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 6/20
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thatyouareatyoursexualpeakinyour20s,yourphysicalpeakinyour30s,yourmentalpeakinyour40sand50sandatyourhappiestinyour60sbutthesearejustaverages,soyourowntrajectoriesmayfollowverydifferentpaths.Perhapsmoreimportantisthegeneralrecognitionthatagebringsitsequalsharesofupsanddownsthereisno,overall,primeofyourlife.
"Thesecrettopeakinglater?Unfortunatelyitrequireseffort
Themorehearteningnewsisthatsomeofthelesswelcomepitfallsarelessinevitablethanyoumightimagine.Exercise,inparticular,notonlyensureslongerphysicalfitness,andfightsarangeofagerelateddiseaseslikediabetesandcancer,butalsostrengthensaweakeningmemorytoo.Peopleingoodhealthalsoenjoyaboutfivemoreyearsofsexualactivityattheendofthelife.Itreallyistheclosestwevegottoanelixirofyouth.
Psychologistsarealsorealisingthatyourmentalattitudecouldplayabiggerrolethanyoudthink.Somepeoplereportfeelingyoungerthantheiryearsayouthfuloutlookthatcancausethemtobemoreactive,andlivelongerasaconsequence.Inotherwords,somelimitationsmaybeselfimposed,ratherthanbeinganinevitableproductofourbodyswearandtear.
Nothingcanhelpusreversetheprocessofageing.Butbymappingtheterrainandacknowledgingthehighsaswellasthelows,wecanatleastmakeitamorepleasantjourney.Anotherpeakmaybeyettocome.
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5/27/2015 BBCFutureWhatstheprimeofyourlife?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150525whatstheprimeofyourlife?ocid=fbfut 7/20
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