People say that getting old sucks. In my humble opinion, it's still better than the alternative. Yet each decade comes with its own perks and woes. Interestingly, according to research, the 5th decade of a person's life is the least joyful. You see, a person's happiness correlates to their age: we get a U-shaped curve if we were to look at a person's entire life.
We're happiest when we're little, and we're the least happy in our 40s. Then, after our 5th decade, the happiness starts to rise again. In 2020, Economist David G. Blanchflower concluded that the U-shaped happiness-age curve applies to many places, not just Europe and America. So, it seems to be a universal experience, not just for developed countries.
But what's it like to be in your 40s? Is it really that bad? One netizen wondered exactly this because they asked: "Hey y'all in your 40's: what are the physical changes you start to see in your body once you leave your 30's? What should we expect to experience physiologically as we get into our 4th decade?" As a person entering her 4th decade soon, I'm starting to wonder: should I be afraid?
#1
Despite all the negatives, your “give a f***s” plummet at 40 which is pretty great.
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183points
#2
43 here.
Ladies, at some point in your late 30s you will wake up and realize everything is b******t and you don’t care what any dude thinks about you, lol. After a youth indoctrinated to seek their approval, you realize it’s all b******t.
Don’t shave your legs and underarms, don’t wear a bra, cut your hair short and dye it blue, get all of the tattoos and piercings you ever wanted. That one dude doesn’t find you attractive? Hahahahaha haha….
That is the biggest and most important physical change you will experience as you age.
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162points
#3
Tired. Just tired. If you were already tired before 40, then you’re gonna be more tired.
Until it’s time for bed.
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160points
#4
I’m gonna be real. There is a day in your early 40s where you wake up weirdly tired, and that never goes away.
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141points
#5
Body's gonna be sore. You want the soreness from exercising or the soreness from not exercising?
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123points
#6
If you’re a woman, perimenopause. You don’t realize how much hormones contribute to the overall running of your body until they start to go away.
Horrible periods at random times, acne, hair loss, weight problems, extreme fatigue and muscle wasting, violent emotional swings, inability to concentrate. Fun times.
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119points
#7
Know how when women get older their breasts will start to sag? No one warns you against your Sack creeping down and sticking to your knee in the summer like a hot piece of silly putty.
109points
#8
Brain fog. Not being able to think of the name of that actor who was in that movie last year. Starting one thing and forgetting that I’m in the.
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107points
#9
Let's see...
I threw my back out and wound up on the sofa for 3 days moving a trowel full of dirt from a bag to a planter.
I developed cataracts in both eyes. Yes, both.
Years of terrible work posture (I assume) led to a bulging disk in my neck.
Washing my face with bar soap if I remember has morphed into a whole multi-product routine more complicated than anything I had as an acne-riddled teen.
There is more gray in my hair than brown.
My right knee can tell when it's going to rain.
I don't really drink anymore because the hangovers last for days and just aren't worth it
Sleeping in a weird position means at least one full day of back/neck/shoulder pain
My periods come every 3 weeks now instead of every 4.
I'm pretty sure I could grow a goatee to rival any teenager's if I stopped my daily search for hairs in places I do not want hairs.
Falling asleep is hard. Staying asleep is hard. Waking up rested is a pipe dream
Every so often, I get to wake up in a pool of my own sweat.
But, I wake up.
I'm at a good place in a career I love.
I care less about what others think with each passing day.
I have found friends and activities that bring me joy.
103points
#12
I finally got diagnosed with ADHD at age 38 and started meds that work. I'm 40 now and this is the most emotionally stable I've been in my entire life and it's amazing. So it's never too late to figure out your life.
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99points
#13
All of your old injuries come back to haunt you. That banged up knee that you got sliding into home plate when you were nine? Hello, again! That time you tweaked your back lifting that grocery bag? Did you miss me? Blurry eyes from staying up too late on the computer? Well, now they're always blurry!
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82points
#14
You become grumpier and tolerate a lot less s**t from people, because you realize time is starting run out for you.
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82points
#16
I like to joke I hit 40 and the check engine light came on. You'll get random aches and pains that just come and go, and sometimes stick around permanently. If you injure yourself, expect healing times to be 2-3 times longer at least. Same with illnesses, you just don't bounce back like you used to.
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77points
#17
I sneezed once and it felt like I broke two ribs.
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77points
#18
I've noticed the skin on my hands is much more sensitive to dryness and is thinner than it used to be. I feel like Cassandra from Dr Who.
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68points
#20
Wait til ur 60! Bad balance, lots of aches and pains. Worry every time u get a checkup or lab test. Enjoy ur forties!! Don’t worry about every little ouch.
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65points