The Animal Is Tired

Re:The Animal Is Tired by 01100011 on Monday May 10, 2021 @01:50AM (#27103106)

Really? In my 30s I felt on top of the world. Enough wisdom to put my knowledge to good use and a fit body that only had the occasional ache. Everything went downhill around 42 though. Eyesight, hearing, processing speed, memory, sleep apnea, weight gain, hair loss, ED... I have to be on some combination of marijuana to sleep and modafinil to wake up. Exercise helps but the gains fade fast so it's basically a 10% tax on my waking hours to keep things from fading faster. Oh and when you're 40 something no one gives a shit. You're not old enough to pity, but you're old enough to be responsible for everything. You just have to keep slugging it out with reality until your mid 60s.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Animal Is Tired by andykx on Monday May 10, 2021 @02:11AM (#27103208)

Exercise is probably the best thing you can do to improve your longevity. I don't have a source, but I don't think this is a controversial idea. Even long walks can help (though as someone who lives in the middle of nowhere, I can understand if this is not possible). I'm only 28, but I find that long walks on the treadmill (with my laptop in front of me, while I'm working) can really make me feel a lot better. I do have a general fitness routine I keep up with though, so that likely plays a role here.

One thing that has helped me immeasurably is taking up a hobby that gets me outside and doing some manual labor. I love gardening and I'd suggest it to anyone. I have shed several inches off my waistband since starting to garden and I find myself spending considerably less time in front of the computer screen just wasting time.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Animal Is Tired by olyjohn on Monday May 10, 2021 @01:28PM (#27108515)

Getting up and going outside is a huge one for me. I could sit here at my desk all day working and be miserable... and suddenly I am excited at the prospect of mowing my lawn.

I mean at the end of the work day, I shut my computer... and that's it. After my lawn is mowed, I can look out and enjoy how it looks. Hell, I can work 10+ hours outside doing boring terrible tasks, shovel ditches, spread bark, weedwhacking the blackberries... but man does it feel great. I used to hate this stuff so much. Give me a paintbrush and let me go paint the shed, or build some crappy shelf to organize things.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Animal Is Tired by kaidon on Monday May 10, 2021 @11:27AM (#27107073)

I used to love excercise -- but a decade of power-lifting at the gym and going hard from 25-36 has destroyed my back/shoulders/hips... everything. Have been enjoying the longest streak of sciatica-free pain for the last 8 months since gyms have been locked down due to COVID. Still get out and walk lots, but I really wish I had been far more moderate with excercise when I was younger.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Animal Is Tired by Taylor_OD on Tuesday May 11, 2021 @11:09AM (#27118998)

Yup. I wrestled in high school and college and very much destroyed my body. I lifted for years after in a way that wasnt helpful either. Now I'm getting close to 30 and I have found ways to exercise that are actually rewarding rather than mostly taxing on my body but man do I wish someone would have showed me this when I was in my 20's.

And told me that pain was actually a good indicator that one is pushing too hard with exercise.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Animal Is Tired by ianai on Monday May 10, 2021 @09:08AM (#27105564)

I don’t think societies neglect for its citizens is easily tied solely to age. At least in my experience, it’s a pretty constant lack of care for me. I’ve had doctors tell me I’m making it up when I’m in shattering, blinding pain more than I care to remember. Had companies treat me like no amount of offensive behavior to outright bullying is a problem if I’m the victim. This is in 20s-30s.

Though I realize ageism is a thing. One of my 60+ coworkers has basically been told they’re too old for any sort of advancement.

[ Parent | on HN ]