7 surprising things which we believe get better with age, from Saga, 2025 10 09

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

I found this interesting, not sure I agree with all 7 items, how about you?

Not everything goes downhill as we age, we reveal the things which we
believe actually get better as we age
By Emma Lazenby | Published - 30 Sep 2025

Negativity and fear have long fuelled ageism and affected our ability to
feel good about our later years, but it's time to re-frame thoughts about
our age.

The pro-ageing movement is gaining momentum, with celebrities such as Helen
Mirren, George Clooney and Meryl Streep proclaiming the rewards they're
reaping in later life.

And now we have the scientific and real-life proof that older age really can
bring myriad mental and physical benefits.

From better sex to self-acceptance and even enhanced memory, here are seven
surprising things that improve as we get older.

1. We're less stressed

Of course, anxiety and overwhelm don't disappear with age, but a study on
how we physically react to acute stress found that adults aged 65-84 had
lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and heart-rate reactivity
compared to the 18-30s. The over-65s also reported feeling calmer overall.

Dr Ramon Velazquez, a neuroscientist specialising in cognitive enhancement,
agrees: "For me, what stands out about ageing is the way the brain adapts
and refines itself over time.

"The older brain learns to filter distractions, tune out emotional noise and
gravitate toward more efficient ways of processing information.

"The peaks and valleys of mood become less extreme, because the brain
develops shortcuts for handling stress and uncertainty. The neural pathways
that support empathy, patience and insight are strengthened through constant
use."

2. Happiness prevails

Prioritising positive emotions and experiences can be profound in older age,
when we're more able to appreciate the 'present' and focus on happiness.

Dr Amit Arora, president elect of the British Geriatric Society (BGS),
explains: "The CARA (Coping, Appraisal and Resilience in Ageing) model
suggests, people become more selective in how they invest their emotional
energy and better at focusing on what truly matters.

"Many older individuals report a liberating indifference to others'
opinions, which reduces anxiety and boosts confidence. There's also a
growing awareness of finite time, which paradoxically leads to greater
appreciation of the present."

Furthermore, an uplifting study on 'positive ageing' highlights how
psychological competence (the ability to adapt and flourish) can even slow
down biological ageing. So that's another thing to be happy about.

3. Memory can improve

Memory loss is up there with our worst ageing fears, but it's not as bleak
as we might think. While it sometimes becomes trickier to recall the details
of past experiences (our episodic memory), our ability to retain facts,
general knowledge and vocabulary (our semantic memory) not only remains
stable but can even improve.

Dr Arora explains the science: "Semantic memory is constantly used whether
reading, conversing or solving problems, so it stays active and reinforced.
Unlike episodic memory, which relies heavily on the hippocampus region of
the brain, semantic memory is distributed across broader cortical areas that
are less vulnerable to age-related decline.

"A study in The Journals of Gerontology found that semantic memory had a
stability coefficient of 0.95, compared to 0.87 for episodic memory,
indicating greater consistency over time."

4. Sex gets better

Sexual fulfilment does indeed increase with age, particularly among women
aged 55-80+, according to the Sexual Satisfaction and Quality of Life in
Older Women study.

Dr Arora delves into the evidence: "Women reported greater emotional
intimacy, better communication and more realistic expectations about sex,
which contributed to their satisfaction. Non-sexual intimacy (like cuddling,
touching, and emotional closeness) played a significant role in overall
sexual fulfilment.

"For men and women, there are complex emotional, biological and psychosexual
explanations behind findings like these, with less performance anxiety,
deeper emotional bonds, a shift of focus from frequency to meaningful
connection, and better self-awareness playing a role."

Fiona Lambert is the author of
Invincible Not Invisible
and
SAS Sixty and Single,
and believes later-life confidence fuels sexual satisfaction.

"More experience, less inhibitions, more free time and less stress are all
ingredients for a better sex life," she says. "We now know what we want and
how to get it."

5. Fitter than ever

A Sport England survey found the over-55s to be exercising 'better' and
more regularly than ever before. By removing that youthful quest for
thinness, older people are reframing exercise as a powerful mental and
physical health investment.

Lambert is taking part in Age UK's Act Now, Age Better campaign and says
that, at age 61, she's the fittest she's ever been: "I now know the benefits
of being strong - not skinny," she says. "Resistance training not only makes
us stronger, but a higher muscle mass increases our metabolic rate to
prevent weight gain. It also supports bone density, which is vital as we
age."

Dr Arora agrees with the changing shift in our attitudes to exercise. "Older
people are now more active, capable and committed to their health than often
assumed," he says. "This is driven by greater awareness, time, and a
cultural shift toward active ageing."

6. Soaring self-acceptance

Although we might not always notice it, ageing can bring a sense of
certainty in who we are, what we believe and how we choose to live our
lives. We feel less pressure to conform or seek the approval of others.

But to truly savour our self-acceptance era, we need to recognise it and
understand how we got here.

Dr Daniel Glazer is a clinical psychologist and has observed how
self-contentment presents in the older generation. "There's a certain wisdom
that comes with ageing that's built on lived experience," he says. "You
reach a point where you stop second-guessing yourself at every turn, and the
constant background noise of what other people think fades into something
barely worth noticing."

Glazer adds: "There's a comfort in your own skin that only comes from living
through enough ups and downs to know that most things are rarely as dire as
they seem in the moment.

"You become less bothered by the opinions that used to eat at you, and far
more willing to take chances or say no when you mean it. It's a stoic
self-trust that just doesn't show up in your younger years."

7. Power to shift our mindset

How we truly feel about our 'later life' status is a choice. A common myth
fuelled by ageism is that we should succumb to some level of defeat as we
age. This is false, says Lambert: "To paraphrase Henry Ford, if you believe
you are young, or if you believe you are old, you are probably right.

"If you choose the right mindset and seek positivity, it can have a massive
impact on how you feel about everything, especially how you view the ageing
process. I chose to make turning 60 a beginning, not the beginning of the
end. I've changed my career, climbed Kilimanjaro and started dating after
finding myself single."

Dr Arora couldn't agree more: "Our mindset about ageing can profoundly shape
both our mental and physical health, and embracing it with positivity can
lead to a more vibrant, fulfilling later life. I see this frequently in my
work as a consultant in older people's health.

"There is a difference between biological ageing and chronological ageing. I
learnt a lot from a 106-year-old woman who started using a Kindle at age 103
as her arthritis prevented her from turning the pages of a book.

"While genetics and life circumstances do play a role, positivity,
adaptability, a sense of emotional growth, purpose, resilience and even
faith are key attributes."

Emma Lazenby

Written by: Emma Lazenby

Emma Lazenby is entering her third decade in journalism, after starting her
reporting career on the Yorkshire Evening Post as a teenager. She's loved
every minute, with contributions to the Sun, Daily Telegraph and women's
magazines, between stints as a Lifestyle Editor for the Press Association
and TV Producer for GMTV and Steph's Packed Lunch.

Emma has covered mental and physical health, charity campaigns, fashion and
beauty, travel, food and parenting with celebrity and inspirational
real-life interviews featuring heavily.

Colin Howard, Southern England.

[mj.ba...@gmail.com]

Thanks for thisk, Colin.

The bit I liked was, "if you think you're young or if you tink you're old, you're probably right."

Staying active and being prepared to learn new things are both very important. Of course, as well as ageism, we have to face the attitude of some people that as we're visually impaired we need to have most things done for us by someone who isn't.

Best wishes

Mike

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