22 Random, Surprising Things That Become Harder In Your 40s That Nobody Warns Women About, And I'm So Glad Their Experiences

2 weeks ago 23

Aging can already be annoying, and what adds to that is that a lot of the time, nobody actually wants to talk about what happens as you age. So, when I saw this post from user percy_pagey on the "Ask Women" subreddit asking, "What became harder in your 40s that nobody warned you about?" I knew people would have some useful and interesting answers. Here are some of the best below.

1. "Dealing with bullshit at work. I am now 'difficult.'"

2. "Tolerating those who don't want to improve their behavior. I no longer run a sanctuary for badly raised men."

3. "To heal takes a lot longer. And the hangovers take days, not just an afternoon."

4. "Seeing at nighttime."

5. "Watching everyone get Botox and work done around me, while I’m too broke to do it, so I just age like a potato."

6. "My hair thinned significantly overnight. That was surprising. Nothing else has been unexpected."

7. "Maybe I should have expected this, but I need reading glasses. Menus, shampoo bottles, and ingredient lists suddenly became tiny print."

8. "Bruising from very little impact."

9. "It became harder to accept some of the common standards and expectations of the economy. 40-hour-a-week job, forget that shit. I want a work-life balance. Shitty bosses, nope. High pay, but soul-destroying work, nope. Inflexible schedules, exploitation, zero recognition, lack of advancement, etc.. instant quitting red flags. I learned early on that life can be unexpectedly short. I want to live it even if it means being a little poor. I’ve been poor to some degree most of my life, and I’ve learned some hacks to make do and still get to enjoy the important things to me."

10. "Getting comfortable. Specifically, when it comes to reading. I need bright light directly on what I'm reading. I get sore from contorting myself into good reading positions. Also, sitting at a computer for any length of time. I can't get comfortable!!!"

11. "Not necessarily harder now at 46, but five years ago, before I became sober, things were harder because I wasn’t taking as good care of myself as I do now. You’ve got to take care of your body, or it will stop taking care of you. I think 40 is the crossroads when people realize things are changing."

12. "I rarely had acne as a teen, and in my 40s, I get monthly facials and take better care of my skin than I ever have, but yet BOOM, hormonal acne after 42. Not cystic or painful or horrible, but still, I can no longer rely on naturally clear skin with minimal effort, and I feel for people who have been doing this their whole lives!"

13. "Tolerating men’s bullshit. I work in IT so I’m surrounded by them, and it’s easy to notice how many meetings are simply an opportunity for them to listen to the sound of their own voice. There’s nothing meaningful about them; they don’t drive anything forward. It’s just a big wank fest."

14. "Getting on and off the floor. Apparently, my body requires proper seating now, or I feel aches in my hips for days. My knees require padding now if I’m going to be doing any kind of ground-related activity, like weeding."

15. "Losing your parents."

16. "Eating the foods I used to love. I'm 41, and for about a year and a half, I've been dealing with indigestion and bloating. A colonoscopy, endoscopy, and CT scan showed that I have GERD and fatty liver disease, so now I have to take Pantoprazole for two months and follow a low-acid, low-FODMAP diet. I'm thin and don't drink or smoke, so my fatty liver is most likely related to my sugar intake and a diet high in cholesterol and saturated fat (I love cheese). It sucks. I miss being able to eat whatever I want."

17. "What once was an occasional indisposition (like a burning ache, or a migraine, or a joint pain) now will be recurrent and will never ever leave you, and you will need medication for it to disappear, only for a few months or weeks."

18. "Alcohol tolerance. I just get headaches now."

20. "Bring on top during sex. Weird answer, but my knees hurt, and I’m so bummed because it’s now uncomfortable for me to be on top. I simply cannot do it anymore. No idea when that changed."

21. "Staying out late and waking up feeling refreshed before 10 a.m."

22. And finally: "Dealing with aging parents. It takes over your life, and you have to put your own family on the back burner many times if you're able to. Luckily, my kids were in college, and my husband was understanding. I had incredible parents who did a lot for us through the years, so it was no more than fair to be there for them, but it was tough."

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with these? If you have any examples of your own that come to mind that you'd like to share, feel free to do so in the comments! Or, if you prefer, you can write in to the anonymous form below. Who knows — your answer could be included in a future BuzzFeed article!

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