We all get older, constantly. Every day, we’re older than we were the day before.
What makes a person’s age change noticeable? If you see a person every day, they almost always look the same, from day to day. But in a year, there is a noticeable difference in their appearance. So, for me, at least, once in a great while I’ll look at someone and “notice their age.” That is, I’ll notice that they are older from what I seem to recall them looking like. Then, I’ll make the conscious realization that I have to revise their face in my memory bank. Why don’t we notice age every day? I guess miniscule changes are happening every single day and either we only decide to notice them at certain points…either that or certain changes may develop more quickly than others.
I know there are plenty of videos out there of those photo-a-day of people growing up, but I haven’t really looked at them. Are there photos of successive days that show a really detectable difference in age, more so than usual? Do some age markers (liver spots, wrinkles, gray hair, crow’s feet, etc.) develop at once or at least quickly enough that somebody can detect an obvious change in age from one day to the next?
I’m new at this, so please help me understand. I find it fascinating that the people I spend the day with look the same, for months, and then one day BAM! you suddenly realize “Man! They are getting older!”
Maybe it has something to do with “Residual Self Image”.
Seriously, though, I think the OP asks a good question, one which I only have comments but not answers. In person I do not register that my wife of 35 years looks any different than she did when she was 20. (It’s true. I’m not just trying to be sweet). But when I see very recent photos of her, I can tell her age on them. WTH is with that? The very same thing goes for me. I think I look much older in photos than I do in the mirror. Why?
It may sort of be the boiling frog thing. You see people every day or at least a couple times a week or month and you don’t notice the gradual aging. Then one day there is a “click” that goes off when your memory bank hits your present day reality.
I spent a lot of time almost daily with one of my brothers my entire life right up until 2013. Then I didn’t see him for 2 years. Holy smoke did he age in those 2 years. Not really.
Yeah, I would like to know as well what it is that makes you realize the age change one particular day more than all the others? What’s behind that “click” that goes off in your mind? It makes me wonder what else I might be missing by not paying attention.
My mother aged noticeably over a period of a few months. Her hair got grayer, the lines in her face got deeper, even her shoulders seemed to droop more. It turned out she had cancer and would die in less than two years.
One of my ex-coworkers and I have always joked that both of us look way younger than our ages (we do). Recently she stopped by and I noticed for the first time she was looking old.
I had time to examine her while we chatted, and I came to the conclusion it was her skin. Her skin no longer had the healthy glow of youth. It wasn’t ugly or anything, but it was sort of papery and a little bit fragile looking.
It was quite a eye-opener, actually, since while we are different ethnicities we actually look fairly similar. It made me think that’s probably how age would show on me too. I mean, I have some gray hair, but despite being almost 40 I don’t show much other indications of my age.
My siblings are quick to point out any signs of aging for me, but apparently can’t notice their own aging, like they have a corner on the fountain of youth. :dubious:
I used to be really fat, I seem to default back to fat in people’s heads between sightings so I get the gasps all over again despite holding weight steady for near 5 years. I imagine what they aren’t saying is “and you look really old” because you are allowed to notice and comment (over and over and over it seems) on de-fattening but not on the fact my face doesn’t fit right and looks every minute of the 50 years it has been around. I get shocked by mirrors myself and am very glad society has this general politeness setting.
One of the things that I notice is gait. As we get older we tend to walk differently, especially when tired or after sitting for a prolonged time. I’ll be 52 soon, and though I’m in good shape, I can feel some changes in my joints. With that said, I can jump rope for exercise like nobodies business and still have plenty of energy for many of the fun things that I like to do.
Either I’m not very observant or everyone around me is youthful, but I haven’t noticed physical age changes in anyone except for myself.
Well, I take that back. When my mother is awake, she looks “normal”, maybe even younger than her age. But when she’s asleep–like in that deep REM sleep–she gains 20 years. I don’t like seeing her like that.
Also, I have an upper canine that seems to be shifting. I was told by my Orthodontist that our teeth can and do start moving as we age. Last week I became the owner of a retainer. I hate it. My mouth hurts, and I cannot wear at work because I can hardly talk with it. My 15 year old kid said to me, “Mom, say – Sally sells seashells by the seashore.” Then she laughed and laughed.
A lot of it seems to be the visual system ‘buffering’ - painting what it expects to see, filling in the blanks from your memory banks, until something unexpected is noticed. Then it recalibrates.
The very same thing goes for me. I think I look much older in photos than I do in the mirror. Why?