Everyone knows the physical signs of getting old: you start noticing fine lines and wrinkles, your knees and back start hurting, and you can no longer function properly without a full night's rest. And then, there are other signs of aging: the cashier is no longer asking you for an ID, those kids in the neighborhood are getting a little too loud, and you go from being a regular at a bar to a regular at a pharmacy. And though often depressing, signs that you're getting old also indicate that you're becoming more mature, wiser, and know yourself better than you ever did. Are those worth trading for softer skin? Some food for thought.
Either way, one of the harsh truths about life is that every single one of us is getting older. The only ones who don't experience aging are the ones who have already passed. Hence, though bittersweet, aging is an inevitable part of life, and signs of aging are pretty much signs of approval that things are going how they are supposed to. Some time ago, user NordicModro asked fellow users of the AskReddit community, "What is a clear sign of you getting older?" And thousands of users swamped the comments section to share signs of getting old that they have learned and encountered in life. Though some answers were relatively expected, many were oddly specific instances from people's daily lives, which made this thread even more appealing to dig through.
Below, we've compiled some of the most interesting responses from the thread, inviting people to share signs you're getting old and the instances they realized they were getting older. Can you relate to any of the statements? Let us know by giving them an upvote! Also, how would you answer that same question? In the comments, you can let us know by finishing the following sentence: "you know you are getting older when..."
#1
TheYoungWan said:
"I used to sneak out of home to go to parties. Now I sneak out of parties to go home."
"I used to sneak out of home to go to parties. Now I sneak out of parties to go home."
YouveGotItMister replied:
"Your next stage of old is not going to parties in the first place."
"Your next stage of old is not going to parties in the first place."
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83points
#2
stark561 said:
"You find teenagers irritating."
"You find teenagers irritating."
SadLaser replied:
"Everyone finds teenagers irritating, including other teenagers."
"Everyone finds teenagers irritating, including other teenagers."
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83points
#3
Potential-Leave3489 said:
"Intolerance for loud noise. The older I get, the less I can stand it."
"Intolerance for loud noise. The older I get, the less I can stand it."
steamygarbage replied:
"I look out the window like a grumpy senior when I see kids blasting music out loud in their cars at my apartment complex. No one cares what you listen to. Turn it down."
"I look out the window like a grumpy senior when I see kids blasting music out loud in their cars at my apartment complex. No one cares what you listen to. Turn it down."
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73points
#4
User No 1 said:
"People in positions of power being younger than you."
"People in positions of power being younger than you."
RealStumbleweed replied:
"Your primary care physician looks like she's about 17."
"Your primary care physician looks like she's about 17."
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71points
#5
Heath_and_Harebells said:
"Making noises when sitting up and down."
"Making noises when sitting up and down."
WaldoJeffers65 replied:
"Our dog is getting old, and whenever she stands up, she makes these little groaning noises. I thought it was cute and funny until the day I realized that I, too, make those noises whenever I stand up."
"Our dog is getting old, and whenever she stands up, she makes these little groaning noises. I thought it was cute and funny until the day I realized that I, too, make those noises whenever I stand up."
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66points
#6
ManicPrincessofKink said:
"When you are asked your birthday online and you realize how much you have to scroll to get to your birth year."
"When you are asked your birthday online and you realize how much you have to scroll to get to your birth year."
Bortle1 replied:
"This one. The little year wheel just rolls and rolls and rolls to get to my year (1967!). PS. And I’m grateful for those years!"
"This one. The little year wheel just rolls and rolls and rolls to get to my year (1967!). PS. And I’m grateful for those years!"
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64points
#7
"I schedule plans with friends earlier and earlier every passing year. There's just something so satisfying about getting dinner and drinks at 6 pm and being back at home wearing my comfy fit binging the show du jour by 9 pm."
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63points
#8
UnQualityLife said:
"Back pain."
"Back pain."
User No 2 replied:
"Waking up every day with a new random pain somewhere. Probably partly some arthritis too."
"Waking up every day with a new random pain somewhere. Probably partly some arthritis too."
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62points
#9
"I get excited when I buy a new kitchen utensil or some other house related thing."
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61points
#10
"So, here are a few POSITIVE signs of aging: You recognize something is a dumb idea BEFORE you do it. You handle your own sh**/clean up your own mess, rather than leaving it for someone else to deal with. Your immediate desire or impulse doesn't obscure every other factor when making an important decision. There are more, but you get the idea..."
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60points
#11
"After sitting still for a long period of time, standing and walking involves shambling about like a zombie. You're fine after a seconds of movement, but initially nothing works right."
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59points
#12
Michi_Exiled said:
"Shrek was released 22 years ago."
"Shrek was released 22 years ago."
DemocraticRepublic replied:
"The Matrix was 24 years ago."
"The Matrix was 24 years ago."
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48points
#14
GrimmRetails said:
"You don't dare leave the house without peeing."
"You don't dare leave the house without peeing."
Snooty_Goat replied:
"And you never fart in public. That s**t can go wrong in a hurry."
"And you never fart in public. That s**t can go wrong in a hurry."
GyrosSnazzyJazzBand also replied:
"I'm in my early 20s and I do this."
"I'm in my early 20s and I do this."
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46points
#15
marina-minx said:
"I don't want to set foot in a nightclub ever again."
"I don't want to set foot in a nightclub ever again."
Fubai97b replied:
"I'm old enough where the club girls don't check me out so much as keep an eye on me. When I was about 40, I got dragged to a club by some younger coworkers after a team dinner. I lasted about 5 minutes before having to tap out. The music and fog machine going full blast was like a living hell to me."
"I'm old enough where the club girls don't check me out so much as keep an eye on me. When I was about 40, I got dragged to a club by some younger coworkers after a team dinner. I lasted about 5 minutes before having to tap out. The music and fog machine going full blast was like a living hell to me."
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45points
#17
User No 1 said:
"That two decades ago is no longer the 1990s."
"That two decades ago is no longer the 1990s."
airnlight_timenspace replied:
"Sometimes I catch myself thinking the 90’s were only a decade ago."
"Sometimes I catch myself thinking the 90’s were only a decade ago."
havean**us also replied:
"The worst was when 80’s night at the club turned into 90’s night. Then when it turned into 00’s night I started shopping for grave plots."
"The worst was when 80’s night at the club turned into 90’s night. Then when it turned into 00’s night I started shopping for grave plots."
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42points
#18
Yearofthehoneybadger said:
"40 is a weird age. Everyone older says you’re so young. Everyone younger thinks you’re so old."
"40 is a weird age. Everyone older says you’re so young. Everyone younger thinks you’re so old."
zoomie35 replied:
"50 is the old age of youth, and the youth of old age."
"50 is the old age of youth, and the youth of old age."
Ineedavodka2019 also replied:
"I had the nurse ask my husband at an appointment if I was his mother. Then two weeks later my teen daughter said all of her friends thought he was her brother and so hot. I’m younger than him. I must look old. He is hot."
"I had the nurse ask my husband at an appointment if I was his mother. Then two weeks later my teen daughter said all of her friends thought he was her brother and so hot. I’m younger than him. I must look old. He is hot."
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39points
#19
NoraTMS said:
"I don't care about how I look without makeup anymore."
"I don't care about how I look without makeup anymore."
Melscott19651414 replied:
"I can’t even see enough to put makeup on... lol."
"I can’t even see enough to put makeup on... lol."
soggy_n_groggy also replied:
"I’ve noticed this recently. A combination of the pandemic lockdowns negating any need for make up and reaching a point in life where I don’t give a s***. Plus I think our perception of what is good looking becomes more broad and generous as we get older. I appreciate my face more than I used to."
"I’ve noticed this recently. A combination of the pandemic lockdowns negating any need for make up and reaching a point in life where I don’t give a s***. Plus I think our perception of what is good looking becomes more broad and generous as we get older. I appreciate my face more than I used to."
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39points
#20
SavvOrie said:
"Valuing your sleep and at least trying to follow a decent sleep schedule."
"Valuing your sleep and at least trying to follow a decent sleep schedule."
Snooty_Goat replied:
"I just can't do it if I don't. In my younger years I could take on an army with 4 hours. Now 6 hours isn't even enough to piss straight."
"I just can't do it if I don't. In my younger years I could take on an army with 4 hours. Now 6 hours isn't even enough to piss straight."
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36points