We all know the feeling- as we get older it seems that more things tend to go wrong with our health and bodies. Two day hangovers are now a thing, you have aches and pains in places that you didn’t know existed and you might generally find yourself slowing down a bit- even though you’re far from ‘old’. It’s easy to put down all kinds of changes in health to the natural aging process, but actually it can be quite dangerous to do this. Here are five symptoms to never ignore- don’t just assume it’s because you’re getting older!

Fatigue

Life can be busy and chaotic, many of us feel tired after a long day at work and probably don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. However, if you’re noticing persistent fatigue, even after you’ve had a good night’s rest then don’t overlook this. There are a number of potential causes from simple to sinister, but speak to your GP to check. Often they’ll ask some lifestyle questions and run blood tests to check for things like nutritional deficiencies, anemia or other changes. 

Vision changes

Our vision is so important, it’s the sense that most connects us with the world we live in. So any changes in sight should be taken seriously. Maybe you’re thinking things like ‘how to tell if I have cataracts?’ or ‘are these changes in my sight normal?’ It’s recommended that you have your eyes tested every two years, but any issues in between these appointments, see a medical professional. It’s true that our eyes can lose sharpness and our vision can fade as we reach out later years of life, but this is a very gradual process. Sudden changes should be treated with caution and always be checked out.

Appetite changes

Some people naturally have a large appetite, whereas others will want or need to eat less- you’ll know what’s normal for you. If you’ve suddenly lost your appetite or even found that you want to eat a lot more than usual, then a little investigation may be needed. It could be anything from pregnancy to stress to stomach infections, or a wide range of other causes. 

Sleep disturbances

Many of us suffer with disturbed sleep from time to time. Often it will pass but if it persists, it could be a medical issue. Things like sleep apnea can lead to breathing issues that wake you up in the night, alternatively it could be a mental health issue like depression or anxiety. It could even just be lifestyle issues, like looking at your phones screen too close to bedtime. This has been shown to affect melanin levels which signal to your brain to wind down for the night. 

Memory

Have you found that you’re becoming more forgetful or even dealing with confusion? Sometimes this can be a result of you taking on too much- burnout, stress and anxiety can all lead to these symptoms. But sometimes it could be a neurological issue that needs to be assessed by a professional.