Benefits of Aging

There’s a moment in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull where the hero is told he has reached an age when life stops giving you things and starts taking them away. If Jones subscribed to that view presumably most of the action in the film wouldn’t have taken place, but it does sum up a persuasive belief about old age. It’s particularly noticeable in films because there are very few good roles for older people.

For most of us, our fitness levels decline with age and as early as 27 our arithmetic, language and memory skills start to slowly get worse. But according to this week’s New Scientist there are compensations. While processes that rely on “fluid intelligence” deteriorate, our “crystallised intelligence” associated with wisdom, actually increases. And we can slow down the aging process by staying physically active, playing brain training games, eating a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco, alcohol and harmful drugs.

Catherine