Men and ageing

Hello, mi neighbour! Back to the age-old topic: Ageing! Men this time. A combination of a healthy lifestyle and the gift of longevity will quite likely make men live into old age. Living long means growing, looking and feeling older, and even face the challenges which come with ageing. Stuck with this reality for life to be meaningful, men must find ways to cope! Here’s an old adage that can work to our advantage: Ageing is not lost youth, but a new stage of opportunity and strength. Sounds good!

The wise man, Solomon, opines that the best approach to preparation for old age is to “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them”. Gentlemen, do you remember that memory verse from Sabbath/Sunday School days? Did you wonder what it meant? If you are over the age of 60, you should know what that means by now. You don’t? Keep on climbing.

While ageing is not always a nice thing, understanding a few things about life puts us into a better position to enjoy the journey! For starters, seek to create a relationship with the Creator from early. It’s wise to garner as much information as you can about interpersonal relationships, human behaviour, animals and spirituality before launching out into the deep. With this under your belt, you should paddle through the rough seas of life with a little more smoothness. And of course, we learn as we go along.

One of the things we learn about life along the way is that even as maturing women grapple with the often-debilitating effect of menopause, maturing men also have their own “cross to carry” and therefore need the patience and understanding of their spouses. You see, ladies, as men age they stumble into something called andropause. See, God is not partial. You have menopause and we have andropause. Smile.

Whereas females become unable to ovulate at the onset of menopause, andropause doesn’t seriously affect sperm production. However, this condition leads to:

Irritability and unstable mood

Loss of libido or sexual drive

Loss of muscle mass and weakness

Low energy or fatigue

Reduced hair growth

Concentration and/or short-term memory problems

Reduced bone density

Notably, during andropause, some men experience symptoms associated with female menopause such as hot flashes and sweating.

At this stage of a man’s life, there’s a natural decline in the body’s production of the hormone (testosterone) which is responsible for regulation of sex characteristics: body hair, the deepening of the voice, and his physical and mental wellness later on in life. Even as this drop in his testosterone further leads to a drop in his vitality, all is not lost. Great!

Wives be patient with your husband. You are in the same boat. Do not lose respect for him. If you continue to honour, commend and care for him, it will only add to his self-esteem and ability to cope at this critical juncture of his life.

Always try to find/create something to laugh about, and really laugh. ‘Laughter is like a delightful workout for your soul.’ If there’s nothing to laugh about, it is recommended that you fake it. Even a fake smile can trick your body into feeling happier, making it easier to slip into laughter. Make a smile a part of your daily attire. It’s good for your health and well-being, and it’s a polite thing to do.

If you:

· Think of your age as an accomplishment, not as a liability

· Eat right, get plenty of sleep, laugh a lot, and practise self-care

· See a therapist if need be

· Face your fears of ageing

· Focus on the good

· Pray, pray, pray

Even as you ‘pause’ you can still be mobile …

OOPS! Space has run out! I must pause for part two.

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