Is your body aging normally? 7 signs to look for

Aging is a natural process that, despite our best efforts and advances in technology, happens no matter what.

While the age we feel mentally may not line up with the number of years we've lived, our body will keep score. We inevitably slow down, become wrinkled and go gray.

However, the aging process does not look the same for everyone. Premature aging occurs when the typical signs of growing older appear early, per the Cleveland Clinic, so your body may look or feel older than your age in years.

“Your chronological age should be distinguished from your biological age,” Nathan LeBrasseur, Ph.D., director of the Mayo Clinic’s Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, tells TODAY.com.

Chronological age is the time between today and the date on your birth certificate, says LeBrasseur. Our biological age is how old your cells are, and it's more of a measure of health status.

“Your biological age is driven by the accumulation of different forms of damage to your cells and molecules, (or) the wear and tear the body goes through,” says LeBrasseur.

How do you know if your body is aging?

When we’re younger, the body is better at healing and adapting to changes. As we age, our body becomes less effective at repairing itself, LeBrasseur notes. On a cellular level, these forms of wear and tear can lead to DNA damage and more.

Aging is associated with many changes in our body, external and internal, across different organ systems, LeBrasseur notes — these include the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

These changes affect our appearance, mobility, sensory functions like vision and hearing, cognitive abilities, and more.

What is normal aging?

Most of us think of aging as a gradual, linear process. However there's growing research to suggest that aging is less continuous than previously thought.

A 2019 study published in Nature Medicine suggests biological aging can occur in periodic bursts — the greatest happening at age 34, 60 and 78.

There's also evidence that some people age biologically faster than others, and that our organs and tissues can age at different rates. "There's a normal trajectory, and there are different exposures that accelerate aging," LeBrasseur says.

Genetics and biology play a role, but the health and function of our body's systems are heavily influenced by lifestyle factors, he adds. Diet, physical activity, sleep, tobacco and alcohol use, stress, and our environment can all accelerate premature aging.

The good news? "We know some of these lifestyle factors can help prevent wear and tear and promote repair,” says LeBrasseur. In other words, many of the things that age us faster are in our control.

"We can stave off the deterioration through active lifestyles, healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, social connectedness," says LeBrasseur.

Everyone is different, but generally speaking, tell-tale signs of aging may start appear somewhere in the 30s and accumulate through the 40s and 50s, experts note. (Age 65 is when people are officially considered "older" adults.)

“However, healthy aging starts at a much younger age,” Dr. Nina Blachman, associate professor in the department of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. Blachman encourages young and middle-aged adults to develop healthy habits as early as possible.

Signs your body is aging

Here are some possible signs that the body is aging early, and how to prevent or slow these changes through lifestyle. (These may also be signs of other conditions, so always talk to your doctor if you have questions.)

Thin, wrinkled skin

One of the most obvious signs of aging is our skin. As we get older, the skin becomes thinner and loses fat and elasticity, Dr. Adam Friedman, dermatologist and professor of dermatology at the George Washington School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com.

"Age damage causes brittle skin that breaks and bruises easily, and gets wrinkled and crepey," says Friedman. Other age-related skin changes include sagging, hyperpigmentation, skin tags, broken capillaries, and dryness, per the National Institute on Aging.

"Many things can cause accelerated skin aging ... first and foremost, ultraviolet radiation exposure. The sun will age you faster, probably more than anything else," says Friedman.

Exposure to UV rays causes inflammation and damage, which breaks down the connective tissue and collagen and elastin that help keep the skin nimble and thick, Friedman explains.

A poor diet, smoking, alcohol and stress can also age the skin. "When we sleep, turnover and renewal occurs, and we know not getting enough sleep can lead to accelerated aging," says Friedman.

"You can definitely start to see these effects within your 40s, let alone your 50s," says Friedman. If these skin changes are much earlier, it could be a sign that your skin is aging prematurely — but always talk to your dermatologist if you have concerns.

You can prevent premature aging of the skin by wearing sunscreen every day, avoiding tanning, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, not smoking, and limiting alcohol use, Friedman notes.

Stiff, achey joints

Joints are areas where the bones come together, which are cushioned by cartilage, membranes and fluid, per the National Library of Medicine.

When we age, the joints become stiffer and less flexible as the cartilage wears down and fluid decreases, the experts note. These joint changes can cause pain, weakness, impaired mobility, balance issues and poor posture.

Inflammation of the joints is known as arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease, which typically affects the knees, hips and hands, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age and symptoms typically appear in the late 40s or 50s, experts note.

“I think if you’re in your 40s or younger, and you’re starting to experience things like inappropriate pain or discomfort, those may be red flags,” says LeBrasseur. Early-onset arthritic issues can also accelerate aging of other organ systems, he adds.

Joint issues can also be caused by things like injuries or autoimmune disorders, the experts note, which is why it's important to see a doctor and address the root cause.

Exercising regularly is one of the best ways to prevent age-related changes to the joints, per the National Institutes of Health. Blachman suggests low-impact workouts like walking, cycling and swimming.

Stretching, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet full of calcium and vitamin D can help protect the joints.

Muscle weakness

As we age, our lean body mass decreases, muscles fibers shrink, and damaged or lost muscle tissue is repaired more slowly, per the NIH.

Our muscle strength and endurance tend to peak around our mid-30s, says LeBrasseur. "This is as fast and strong as we're going to get, and then we start to see a progressive decline," LeBrasseur adds.

Over time, our muscles lose strength, endurance and flexibility, per the Cleveland Clinic, also known is called sarcopenia.

Symptoms of age-related muscular weakness vary. You may first notice you aren't able to do the same exercises as fast or hard as you used to (without any underlying injury or illness), says Blachman.

You may find it harder to lift as much weight, go up a flight of stairs, or stand up from a seated position, LeBrasseur notes. Weak muscles may cause balance issues or increased falls.

Other health conditions and medications can also cause muscles to weaken or lose strength, which is why it's important to get symptoms checked by a doctor, the experts note.

Exercise is key to prevent age-related muscle changes. Resistance training can help build strength and reverse muscle loss, per Cleveland Clinic. Getting enough sleep, and proper nutrition — including protein intake — are important to maintain healthy muscles and slow age-related changes, the experts note.

Vision problems

It's normal to experience changes in vision as we age. Common age-related vision problems include losing the ability to see up-close, says Blachman, as well as difficulty distinguishing between colors and trouble adjusting to changing levels of light, per the National Institute on Aging.

Other signs of aging in the eyes include dryness, cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration, says Blachman. Uncontrolled diabetes and high blood pressure can also damage the retina and cause vision loss, per the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

"You usually notice your vision changing around age 40," Blachman adds. If these occur earlier, they could be a sign of premature aging of the eyes or another condition.

Yearly eye exams are important to monitor for changes and check the health of your eyes. "I advocate for preventative screenings to see where you are and how your sensory functions are changing," says LeBrasseur.

You can keep your eyes healthy as you get older by wearing sunglasses and hats to protect from UV rays, getting enough sleep and exercise, and eating a balanced diet, per the NIH. If you spend a lot of time staring at computer screens, take breaks every 20 minutes and look at something far away for at least 20 seconds.

Hearing loss

"People tend to have age-related hearing loss (called presbycusis)," says Blachman, adding that this is why many elderly adults require hearing aids. Unlike hearing loss due to injury or illness, this type of hearing loss is progressive, irreversible and affects both ears.

Aging leads to changes in the inner and middle ear, as well as the nerve pathways from the ear to the brain, which affect our hearing, according to the NIH. Long-term exposure to loud noises can also cause or worsen hearing loss.

"Typically, people lose the ability to hear higher frequencies, (for example) a woman's voice typically would be harder to hear than a man's voice for that person," says Blachman.

Many people aren't aware that the hearing loss is happening, she adds. One day, you may notice you need to turn the television or music up louder than usual, or ask people to speak up.

"It's very common in older age," says Blachman. However, age-related hearing changes can occur earlier than expected. If you are having trouble hearing, always talk to your doctor.

Scientists do not know how to prevent age-related hearing loss, but you can protect your ears from noise-induced hearing loss, per the NIH. Avoid or reduce your exposure to loud noises — from music, construction or motorcycles, for example — and protect the ears using earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.

Hair loss or graying

Another obvious sign of aging is changes in hair color or texture. As we get older, hair becomes thinner and falls out faster, says Friedman.

Gray or white hair occurs from a loss of melanin, the pigment which gives the hair color. Melanin is produced by the hair follicles, the structures in the skin which hair grows from, per the NIH.

As we age, the follicles produce less melanin, so when a new hair grows, it looks gray or white, TODAY.com previously reported. This usually starts in the mid-30s, Friedman notes.

While it's normal for hair become thin and gray as we age, factors like stress, an unhealthy diet, smoking and UV exposure may cause hair to age earlier or faster, the experts note.

Telogen effluvium is hair loss caused by stress, says Friedman. "Your hairs transition to the death phase faster, so your hair sheds much faster than it should and it can last for several months after the stressful event," says Friedman.

Excessive sun exposure can also accelerate age-related hair changes and lead to premature graying, TODAY.com previously reported.

Always talk to your doctor if you experience sudden hair thinning or loss. This can also be caused by hormones, nutritional deficiencies, autoimmune disorders and medications, Friedman adds.

Chronic inflammation

Inflammation is the immune system’s response to illness, injury or germs, which triggers the release of inflammatory cells to promote healing, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Chronic inflammation is a long-term immune response where the body continues to send inflammatory cells without injury or infection, LeBrasseur notes.

As we age, the body loses the ability to remove old, damaged cells that won’t grow or die, LeBrasseur. Over time, these “zombie cells” accumulate and increase inflammation.

Research shows that aging is closely associated with chronic, systemic inflammation, also known as "inflammaging," which can lead to disease and disability, says LeBrasseur.

Symptoms of chronic inflammation include body pain, joint stiffness or swelling, fatigue, insomnia, a body rash, weight gain or loss, gastrointestinal problems, and frequent infections, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Inflammation can be exacerbated by smoking, eating poorly, stress, gaining weight, and drinking alcohol, the experts note.

Chronic inflammation can be hard to spot, but certain tests can measure the level if inflammatory markers in the blood. Always talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com