“I’m in my 70s, but I feel like I’m 40,” is a common sentiment many older adults can relate to. Why is there such disparity between chronological age and how old one feels?
Researchers have found that most adults over 40 feel younger than their chronological age, and that gap often widens with each passing decade. In fact, adults over 80 report feeling an average of nearly 20 years younger than their actual age.
Psychologists call this your subjective age, the age you feel rather than the number of candles on your birthday cake. And growing evidence suggests that subjective age isn't just a state of mind. It may be one of the strongest indicators of your overall health and well-being.
Two Ages, One Person
Most of us know our chronological age – the number of years we've been alive. But scientists are paying increasing attention to another measure: biological age, which reflects how well our bodies are aging.
While genetics certainly play a role, researchers now estimate that genes account for only about 15% to 25% of the aging process. The rest is influenced by factors such as diet, exercise, stress, sleep, social connections, smoking, alcohol use and access to healthcare.
As Mayo Clinic preventive cardiologist Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez explains, healthy aging is best viewed through a holistic lens rather than by focusing on a single number.
Why Most Older Adults Feel Younger
One large study of community-dwelling adults found that nearly 70% of people over age 65 felt younger than their actual age. Even more surprising, the oldest participants – those over 80 – felt the youngest relative to their chronological age.
Researchers expected physical illness to have the biggest influence on how old people felt. Instead, they found something quite different.
Across every age group, people who rated their health, memory and emotional well-being more positively consistently felt younger than those who viewed their health more negatively. In contrast, the actual number of chronic medical conditions mattered far less than expected.
For adults over 80, objective health problems had surprisingly little effect on subjective age.
Mindset Matters
Psychological well-being turned out to be one of the strongest predictors of feeling younger.
People who reported having purpose, confidence, optimism, emotional resilience and the ability to adapt to life's challenges were much more likely to feel younger than their birth certificates suggest.
Researchers believe many older adults naturally shift their perspective with age. Rather than focusing on physical limitations, they emphasize what they can still do, the relationships they value and the meaning they find in everyday life.
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Feeling younger appears to have real health benefits.
Studies have found that people who feel younger are more likely to:
On the other hand, consistently feeling older than your chronological age has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive decline, functional limitations and even earlier mortality.
Brain imaging studies have also found that people who feel younger tend to show less age-related brain shrinkage in regions responsible for memory, decision-making and social interaction.
While feeling younger doesn't guarantee good health, it appears to go hand in hand with healthier behaviors and better long-term outcomes.
Culture Is Changing How We Age
Another fascinating discovery is that today's older adults feel younger than previous generations did.
Researchers studying several decades of data found that people born more recently reported feeling significantly younger than people of the same age born earlier in the twentieth century.
Part of the reason may be cultural. Today's older adults are more likely to run races, travel internationally, volunteer, start businesses, learn new skills or remain active in their communities. Retirement is no longer viewed as the end of an active life, but often the beginning of a new chapter.
Can You Change Your Subjective Age?
The encouraging news is that subjective age isn't fixed.
Experts say the same habits that support healthy aging also help people feel younger:
None of these healthy habits stop the clock. But they may change how you experience aging.
Feeling Younger and Senior Living
At Collington, it's not unusual to meet residents whose birthdays say one age while their energy, curiosity and outlook tell a very different story.
While it may seem paradoxical that people who feel younger than their chronological age would choose senior living, quality communities like Collington cater to this mindset. Residents know that living in a community where they can explore new interests, volunteer, stay active through wellness programs, build meaningful friendships or simply embrace each day with purpose extends a younger outlook and encourages healthy aging.
Indeed, feeling younger shouldn't be a reason to delay exploring senior living. Instead, it can be the very motivation to make the move or at least begin considering the possibilities now. Choosing a community before it's a necessity allows you to enjoy more of what you love, with fewer responsibilities and greater opportunities to thrive.
The goal isn't to deny getting older. It's to recognize that healthy aging is about much more than adding years to life. It's about adding life to those years.