Staying Fit
| We’ve all heard about how people get wiser as they age. And now studies prove that point and highlight specific areas where we excel as we grow older.
While youthfulness may give us more muscle strength and bone mass, a wealth of scientific studies and surveys reported by Business Insider found six areas where people 50 and over actually perform better.
AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
50s
Arithmetic skills are the strongest in your 50s. From counting to solving math problems and fractions, the peak age for this ability is, on average, 50 years old.
Also, maybe it’s no coincidence that young people gravitate to their parents for advice, even after becoming adults. Parents, and anyone else around age 51, tend to understand people’s emotions best.
60s
Life is good, even at 69 years old. Studies find you peak in life satisfaction for a second time at this age. Happiness tends to go in waves. The first time a person typically reaches this peak is at 23.
70s
Maybe you should consider public speaking or writing a book at age 71, because that’s about when a person’s vocabulary peaks.
As you age, you may find it’s easier to get ready, and you’re more comfortable with yourself. Age 74 is where happiness with your body peaks. A Gallup survey found that two-thirds of Americans over 65 said they always like the way they look.
80s
One of the last peaks in life comes around age 82, when your psychological well-being reaches its max. Studies suggest that social, psychological and physical factors contribute to an individual’s psychological well-being, contentment and happiness.
Despite all the above, there are times when, yes, youth has advantages. The same studies found it’s easiest for a 7-year-old to learn a new language, a 28-year-old to run a marathon and a 31-year-old to play chess.
