Sudden ageing

I think you definitely have periods where you suddenly age. I feel I've been through one lately too. I remember my husband saying that his mother had suddenly aged many years ago. I guess your body decides it's time to move to the next level!

But toddlers and children have the same thing with growth spurts. They suddenly get bigger and can be emotionally affected at the same time. Then what about teenagers? Boys have massive growth spurts at 15-16 where they suddenly shoot up about 6 inches. I guess it's all the same thing when we get older.

It doesn’t matter what the reason was for the school girl waving Juliet ( I’m sure you don’t look as old as you think) but it was nice thing to do.

Pepper59,* AGAA4* and Secretsquirrel1 Thank you. I am 90% back to normal can drive, etc. My mental state isn't good, emotions all over the place too, memory isn't great, and everything I do takes longer now - but I've been very lucky to have recovered this much

I was standing looking out of the window of an empty flat we own. A couple of schoolgirls walked past and one waved to me, wandered a few more steps and waved again. I waved back but shrugged as I thought perhaps she’d thought she knew me. A while afterwards I realised that she probably just thought she’d kindly wave to an old woman staring into space ??

I blame the lockdown. I feel a lot older now too. We have just come back from a long haul holiday and I think the travelling has been too much for me. Closer to home for the next one.

My parents always looked young for their ages. One day as they were waving me off I realised that they looked like an old couple. They would have been in their early 70s at the time. Of course I think that 70s is quite young now. I think that it catches up with us all in the end.

Howverydareyou, sorry to hear you have been through the mill.

I thought I was haggard for my age. Seeing myself on Zoom everyday doesn't help. My neighbour is 5 years older than me and always looks great. Or so I thought, until I saw her without her hair done and no make-up (I don't bother much with my appearance). I feel OK about my looks now.

I made a pact years ago with a friend to grow old disgracefully. When Covid came along we decided to embrace the grey together. Well, the grey hair has done me no favours except saving money and a long sit in a mask at the hairdressers. She now has a sleek chic white /grey bob I have a dirty grey pixie a very very old pixie more a goblin cut.
I don't think any of us have had the occasion to get dressed up and look good so any current photos come as a shock compared to the ones even three years ago.
Others like Howeverdareyou have had very serious illnesses which they have had to cope with under very difficult circumstances and hope they are feeling better.

Perhaps we will feel more positive when spring arrives and when we can get some sun on our faces again (remembering the sunscreen of course - I don’t want the increasingly obvious age spot on my face to get even worse!).

I think you are right, I thought I was doing quite well, a bit of weight gain, but nothing too dramatic, then suddenly, my hair seems thinner and in poor condition, my eyes look tired and red rimmed, my skin is blemished, I just look like I’ve taken a giant leap towards old age .

HowVeryDareYou ?

@HowveryDareYou
I’m so sorry to hear what you’ve been through! It must have been awful. How are you doing now ? X

I feel I look older than I did a year ago - but I had Covid, was on a ventilator, and had a stroke, all in 2 weeks last year

I feel the same as Pepper. I told my OH just this morning I feel really old and haggard.
I do hope the Springtime coming makes a difference to all of us.

I think I do look older than before the lockdown. I was having regular trips to the hairdresser to keep my colour and style in shape. I haven't been for over a year.
A few extra pounds and hip pain aren't helping either.

Same age and feelings as you about the last 2 years * PinkCosmos*

I spent the first part of the pandemic dieting, eating sensibly, maintaining my weight ( which I’ve never done in my life before being a yo yo dieter) etc. But the past few months I seem to have lost the will power. Winter doesn’t help nor does Christmas weight gain. Plus the fact that I don’t go out much so don’t bother with putting make up on. And I’ve gone very flabby due to not going to the gym. Walking the dog doesn’t tone you up. I did put a lot of effort into looking good for my new passport photo but once I’d achieved that I just went to pot!

I feel like I have aged more over the past two years than in the last ten. I am 64.

Up until 60 I felt that I looked OK for my age

I think lighting and the right mirrors can have an impact on how you feel you have aged. I think I look quite reasonable in my bathroom mirror but I look ten years older in the hallway one .

As Septima says, posture is so important. I am currently working from home and I feel like I spend all my working hours slouching over a computer. Good posture makes you look younger and slimmer.

I also agree with Coastpath in that people seem to look younger in the summer months. Probably because it is warmer which makes us relax more.

Septimia your post made me sit up straight!

I think I look older since the pandemic.

Mind you my son's marriage fell apart just before the first lockdown so all the worry hasn't helped my wrinkles

I have certainly aged since the pandemic started, physically and mentally. I suppose deciding to go grey didn’t help looks-wise.

There are some aspects of ageing that we probably can't do much about - like health (just keep taking the tablets!). However, my mum always made a point of putting her shoulders back before she stepped out of the front door. It certainly made her look younger and fitter.

Little things like that, walking as firmly as we can, standing as straight as we can etc., can make us look younger than we are!

I agree - I seem to have aged during lockdown -- seriously ?

I remember my mother, she always looked young, then suddenly age caught up with her. I think it’s something that just happens!

Cancer aged me. Immediately afterwards, I looked OK. But 2 years later I looked a good 10 years older.