By the time you're in your 50s, you have more broken-down bone cells than can be replaced. This means your bones naturally get weaker. To protect them, eat foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises like hiking and lifting weights can also help your bones stay strong.
New study says decline begins in our 50s
Be proactive about your strength, balance and endurance as you age. By the time you reach your 50s, your strength, balance and endurance are already beginning to wane — much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study.
In addition to changes in muscle, ligaments and tendons (which attach muscle to bone), also change. As a result of these changes (which include increased dehydration and "brittleness"), adults over 50 experience increased healing time. Injuries such as tendonitis become more likely over time.
One noticeable change for women as they age is an increase in body fat. It is common to see a decrease in muscle mass, causing your body to feel less strong than it did in your youth. Women may also develop wrinkles from reduced elasticity and firmness of their skin, or thin and graying hair.
Women's ovaries begin to produce lower amounts of estrogen and progesterone and higher amounts of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The symptoms of these hormonal changes vary from person to person, but many women experience side effects such as insomnia, hot flashes, decreased sex drive, depression and mood swings.
While most women in their teens and early 20s define themselves as a neat hourglass shape, women in their 30s and 40s consider themselves as full hourglass and those in their 50s and 60s are most likely to be apple. 'Your body shape changes as you age, partly as women put on weight in different places,' said Jedinak.
Though the age period that defines middle age is somewhat arbitrary, differing greatly from person to person, it is generally defined as being between the ages of 40 and 60.
In postmenopause, symptoms of menopause may have eased or stopped entirely, but some women continue to have symptoms for longer. The change in your body's hormones however is a sign to keep looking after your health and wellbeing, and be mindful to listen to your body.
Menopause is the time that marks the end of your menstrual cycles. It's diagnosed after you've gone 12 months without a menstrual period. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States.
Bean's point: it's never too late. That said, there are some limits to how much you can progress. "Workouts aren't going to turn someone in their 80s, 90s or 100s into someone who is 40 or 50 years old, but most people can get stronger and improve their endurance," says Dr. Bean.
For example, the team suggests that the biological aging process isn't steady and appears to accelerate periodically — with the greatest bursts coming, on average, around ages 34, 60, and 78.
Stretching and exercises like yoga and Pilates can help keep your muscles long and limber, and can help when you're feeling sore, too. If your muscles are hurting, try RICE therapy and over-the-counter pain medicine. See your doctor if you're in a lot of pain.
Hot flashes, flushes, and night sweats are the most common symptoms of low estrogen. At times, blood rushes to your skin's surface. This can give you a feeling of warmth (hot flash). Your face may look flushed.
Postmenopause is a term to describe the time after someone has gone through menopause. When you're in postmenopause, your menstrual period has been gone for longer than 12 consecutive months. At this stage in life, your reproductive years are behind you and you're no longer ovulating (releasing eggs).
Turning 50 has also been considered a golden birthday year, and many people choose to decorate with black and gold. Any of the above ideas can be easily translated to a 50th birthday party—just go extra big on the 50th birthday invitation, golden birthday gift, and cake!
A person's fifties are the period in which they are aged between 50 and 59: My dad's in his fifties.