“Drink in moderation” is advice we hear often, but as most people can attest to after a booze-filled holiday season, it isn’t easy to stick to.

When we can stick to moderate drinking, however, we usually feel pretty good about ourselves.

According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking is defined as no more than two drinks per day for men, and no more than one drink per day for women. That means if we have a glass of wine after work every day, we’re not doing much harm to our bodies and brains, right? That depends.

Dr. Elizabeth Landsverk, a geriatrician and dementia expert, tells HuffPost that the way alcohol impacts the body will vary based on your age. If your 2024 goals include plans to drink in moderation, here’s what she wants you to know.

Your 20s, Landsverk says, are a resilient time for the body — which is probably why hangovers aren’t nearly as bad during that decade. “The liver and brain have the most resilience during that time,” she said. “The frontal lobes (reasoning, and judgment) are not quite developed. One is more likely to be open to drinking more or taking more risks, and this can set habits that will cause problems down the line.”

You probably won’t notice a huge difference as you head into your 30s as long as you’re drinking moderately, but it’s important to keep your overall health in mind. “Ask yourself: How is your health otherwise? Obesity, which is epidemic in America, increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver,” Landsverk said. “Alcohol increases the risk of liver disease and scarring (cirrhosis). As a geriatrician, I would say a glass or two a week is fine. Some doctors say one drink a day is fine, but it is also neurotoxic and that can catch up with you.”

In your 40s, more health risks begin to pop up, Landsverk explains. “Obesity, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol all increase the risk for heart attacks, strokes and small stroke dementia,” she said. If you’re living with any of these conditions, even a small amount of alcohol can further increase your risk of events like heart attacks or strokes, so keep that in mind.

Once you hit your 50s, Landsverk says, even moderate drinking can wreak havoc on the body. “Alcohol, besides the vascular damage and dementia risks, increases the risk of breast cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer (after disease),” she said. Because cancer risk drastically increases as we age, adding any amount of alcohol into the mix will only further increase that risk. “Plus, as we age, good sleep is more elusive,” Landsverk added. “Substances like caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol all hinder sleep”

In your 60s, you’ll likely begin to feel the effects of moderate drinking on your body. “I can speak from experience: This is the age when tolerance may decrease dramatically,” Landsverk said. “I am healthy. I can ski or swim a mile, but a glass of wine makes me feel ill and slow the next day.”

This, she says, is because older people are more likely to lose the enzyme to metabolize alcohol (alcohol dehydrogenase). “At this point, I can tolerate about one glass a week,” Landsverk noted. “If I had it daily, I would feel sick with just one glass a day. Older people have less reserve in the brain, liver and kidneys. The damage to the brain from even one glass a day is worse [when you’re over 60].”

Landsverk suggests that you think of alcoholic beverages like candy bars. “They’re nice with some meals, but they can increase your weight and blood sugar, and over decades adds to cancer risk and chronic illnesses that can lead to poor health.”

If you want to stay as healthy as possible and feel your best as you age, do you have to give up alcohol completely? No, Landsverk emphasizes, and it’s important to remember to remember that other factors influence the impact alcohol has on your health and well-being, such as if you’re living with a disease like obesity or hypertension.

If you’re older and in generally good health, you shouldn’t worry too much about the occasional alcoholic beverage. That’s certainly the case for Landsverk. “I have decided that a glass of wine with a nice meal is worth it,” she said. “But not every night.”

Remember when you used to slap on a coat of lipstick as you dashed out the door — and still managed to look great? If you’re anywhere north of 50, it’s likely those days are over.

You may have already noticed how lipstick tends to run into even the finest lines around your mouth, leaving you with a smeary mess that can’t be blotted away with tissues.

Fortunately, there are smart, savvy makeup artists who have shared their expertise with us. They offered some insight on why our lipstick seems to suddenly turn on us.

Michelle Wong, the cosmetic chemist behind the popular site Lab Muffin, said: “As you get older, your skin tends to thin and develop more lines and furrows, which act as ‘channels’ for lipstick, which has pigments that are slightly soluble in the product’s oils.”’

Is there an official name for this new indignity? “It’s called lipstick ‘feathering,’ because instead of a sharp, crisp line around the lips, it can look like a feather around the edges — a bit soft and never defined,” explained makeup artist Mila Thomas.

After all those years of aiming for moist, glossy lips, you’re going to need to transition away from those types of products. “Oily, liquid lip products are more prone to feathering,” Wong said. “Lip glosses applied on top of lipsticks are common culprits.”

Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg said that matte products might be a better fit for an older cosmetics user. “Anything too wet, glossy or thick will make the problem worse,” she said.

Thomas explained the reason why: “If the formula is too wet, it will more easily bleed into the skin beyond the lip line.”

There are techniques to avoid out-of-control pigment from spreading all over your face. But you’ll need to do a little pre-work before applying your favorite lippy.

It’s going to take some trial and error as you experiment with products and application methods. “I know it’s super-annoying, but there’s a technique out there for everyone,” said Jeanine Lobell, makeup artist and founder of the Neen cosmetics brand.

“It can help to exfoliate the lips daily, and to use lip balm each day to keep lips smooth,” Thomas said. Greenberg suggested using a lip scrub on and above the lips, too. If you want to do even more to set your lips up for success, she suggested using a nighttime lip mask.

Now that you’re exfoliated, balmed and masked, here’s how to apply lipstick so it stays where you put it.

1. Start with a mattifier/filler. “Put it on the lip line, going on the skin and in the outer corners,” Lobell said.

2. Apply lip-filling primer to smooth skin and create a barrier between your lipstick and any natural oils.

3. Brush on lip stain for a long-lasting color base.

4. Outline: Greenberg recommended lining lips with a flesh-toned concealer or lip pencil to create a barrier between the lipstick and the fine lines around your lips.

   Lobell outlined the process she uses: “Fill in the lip line, overdrawing very slightly. It’s very important not to draw all the way to the outer corner, because stopping a little short of the lip line is more flattering. Once you’ve applied liner, even if your lip color migrates, it will be held in place by the liner.”

5. Brush on lipstick: Greenburg uses a lip brush instead of applying the lipstick directly. “Brush out from the pout of your lips outwards,” she advised.

6. Blot: Thomas said, “Take a tissue and split it apart so it’s only one-ply. After you apply one coat of lipstick, lightly blot lips with the tissue.”

7. Add another coat: “The two-coat layering technique, with blotting in between, will make the color more long-lasting and help it stay in place,” Greenberg explained,

8. Finally, a bit of powder: “Dab the entire lip area with a bit of translucent powder and you should be ready to go,” Greenberg said.

“Use a more matte long-wear color for better control,” Lobell said. “A matte lipstick that’s full-coverage with a smudge-resistant finish is going to ‘travel’ less than other formulas.”

Still craving a bit of shine? “Keep gloss away from the edges of your lips, and apply it sparingly,” Wong said.

“If you need your gloss, keep it more centered on the lips when you apply it, tap lips together, and allow the extra to make it evenly shiny,” Lobell said. “If you love a creamy formula, tap the lips with blotting paper after you apply it.”

Check out the makeup artists’ top picks below.

HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Do you find yourself constantly running to the bathroom? It may seem like you have to pee every hour (or maybe every other hour). Depending on who you ask, this might not be viewed as a problem but merely a symptom of aging.

And it’s true: A host of changes happen to your body as you get older, including bladder issues. While urinary incontinence affects people differently ― especially with age ― there are a few explanations for why you may experience this.

We asked gynecologists, urologists and pelvic floor therapists to delve into the common reasons you have to pee more frequently as you get older. Here’s what to know:

According to the North American Menopause Society, estrogen levels tend to decrease when people enter the early stages of menopause, also known as perimenopause.

“Estrogen is an integral hormone for maintaining bladder wall strength,” said Dr. Monica Grover, an OB-GYN and chief medical officer at VSPOT. “As it declines, the tissues supporting the bladder wall start to become weak and stiff, thus increasing the frequency to urinate.”

You may want to talk with your doctor about getting your estrogen levels checked if you think this could be part of the problem. Signs of decreased estrogen, particularly as a result of menopause, may include breast tenderness, frequent urinary tract infections and bone loss.

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when one or more of the pelvic organs (bladder, bowels, uterus) are not optimally supported by the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments.

“If your bladder prolapses, it can sag into your front vaginal wall where residual urine can hang out after your pee,” said Sara Reardon, board-certified pelvic physical therapist and founder of The Vagina Whisperer. “Therefore you feel like you don’t empty completely and shortly after peeing, you may feel like you have to go again.”

While you’ll want to talk with your doctor about ways to strengthen your pelvic floor, kegel exercises can be helpful.

According to the Urology Care Foundation, about 10 in 25 women and 3 in 25 men will have symptoms of a urinary tract infection during their lifetime.

“As women age and progress through menopause, the diminished estrogen reserves change vaginal tissue to become more dry as well as the vaginal pH,” Grover said. “As a result, women do not experience the typical telltale signs of a UTI ― such as pain ― but will most likely experience frequent urination.”

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I feel like my bladder has gotten smaller”? That actually does happen as you age.

“The amount of urine it takes for someone to get the urge to go is less with aging and the amount of urine the bladder can hold is less,” Reardon said. “Often this is why aging women get diagnosed with Overactive Bladder because the bladder becomes more sensitive and shrinks.”

In particular, the elastic tissue becomes stiffer and the bladder becomes less stretchy, which tends to cause more frequent urination.

Constipation is more common with aging and it actually can lead to more urinary urgency.

“If the colon and rectum are full of poop, this actually can put pressure on your bladder, causing it to feel like you have more urgency to pee,” Reardon said.

Addressing constipation with exercise, dietary fiber, hydration and proper pooping mechanics can actually help your bladder urgency.

As you age, the likelihood of having chronic illnesses and taking multiple medications increases.

“Certain medical conditions like diabetes or heart disease can lead to increased urine production,” said Dr. Anat Sapan, board certified OB-GYN and menopause expert. “Similarly, many medications, such as diuretics commonly used for high blood pressure, can increase urinary frequency.”

If you’re the type of person who drinks a cup of coffee (or two) and likes to drink, whether that’s a glass of wine or beer, then that might be the reason you have to pee so much.

“Caffeine and alcohol are both bladder irritants and diuretics, which increase your body’s tendency to excrete water through urine,” said Dr. Andrew Y. Sun, board-certified urologist and chief medical adviser for Marius Pharmaceuticals. “Limiting the consumption of coffee, soda, wine, cocktails — even chocolate — can help reduce the need to pee frequently.”

As men age, the prostate naturally increases in size, squeezing the urethra so that instead of peeing through a fire hose, you’re peeing through a cocktail straw instead.

“If the prostate gets tight, then the bladder has to work extra hard to pump the urine out through this tighter opening,” Sun said. “Over time, because the bladder is ‘working out’ so much, it becomes thicker and more spastic, which can cause overactive bladder and frequency of urination.”

Treatments for this problem include medication to relax and shrink the prostate or surgical procedures to open it up.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45. A common symptom of Type 2 diabetes is frequent urination, which might explain the need to pee more as you get older.

“Generally there’s a build up of glucose in the blood which forces the kidneys to work harder to filter and absorb the extra sugar,” said Dr. Erica Montes, a physician and an adviser for pH-D Feminine Health. “However, when the kidneys can’t keep up, the extra sugar goes into the urine which could lead to more frequent urination.”

If you suspect you’re dealing with any of these issues ― or you’re just generally peeing more than you feel is normal ― chat with your doctor. They can run tests to figure out the culprit and find you some relief.

Could your personality affect your memory?

A recent meta-analysis published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, found a connection between certain personality traits and the risk of dementia. The data was made up of eight smaller studies, totaling 44,531 people age 49 to 81. Of the group, 1,703 people developed dementia. Participants took part in personality assessments and underwent brain examinations after they died.

Researchers compared dementia diagnoses with the “big five” personality traits, which are agreeableness, openness, extroversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism. They also compared diagnoses in people who had either a positive affect (a personality that leans more toward positive traits like joy, enthusiasm and confidence) and negative affect (someone who tends to have more emotions like anger, nervousness and fear).

People who had high levels of neuroticism and those with negative affect “had a higher risk of developing dementia over the long term,” said Dr. Joel Salinas, a clinical assistant professor of neurology at NYU Langone Health and the chief medical officer of Isaac Health, who was not affiliated with the study.

“And then those who had low levels of conscientiousness, extroversion and that positive affect … [were] tied to an increase of risk as well,” Salinas added.

Conversely, researchers found that people with a positive affect or personality traits including extroversion and conscientiousness had a lower risk of developing the disease. Those who are extroverted have a more robust social life and get energy from being around others; someone who is conscientious is considered responsible, organized and goal-oriented.

It’s worth noting that while researchers found an association between personality traits and risk of diagnoses of dementia, a clear link was not found between personality and evidence of underlying disease, Salinas said. So while the study suggests that the two may be correlated, researchers still don’t know if personality type is a direct cause of dementia.

“It doesn’t [mean] that these links don’t exist, it just means that either the study was unable to find it ― because the amount of information available was limited for this part of the study ― or that some other factor explains the reason why more people had risk of dementia,” Salinas said.

According to Dr. Riddhi Patira, the leader of the frontotemporal dementia consortium at the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center who was not affiliated with the study, the study measured clinical diagnoses of dementia, but it the kind of dementia is unclear — whether it’s Alzheimer’s or general memory problems, for example.

Another limitation, Salinas said, is that the second part of the study, which measured participants’ brain changes, relied on data from fewer participants than the first part of the study.

Patira said that there could be some mediators associated with neuroticism or a negative affect that put people at risk for dementia. For example, people who are neurotic or anxious often have more trouble sleeping than those who aren’t neurotic or anxious.

“And sleep is important for some drainage in the brain … that’s important for lower inflammation and risk of Alzheimer’s,” Patira explained. “So, there might be something to that that future studies might indicate.”

Additionally, when compared to happy people or those who are positive or extroverted, folks with a more negative affect are more likely to be isolated and have higher rates of depression, Patira said. Depression could impact lifestyle habits like diet and exercise, which are important for a lower dementia risk.

What’s more, Salinas said, people with a more negative affect or anxiety also may not have performed as well on the cognitive tests that doctors use to diagnose dementia. This could have led to more diagnoses based on those results. (Think about it: When you’re feeling anxious or negative before any kind of test or evaluation, you likely won’t perform as well as you would if you were calm and happy.)

As mentioned above, this study did not find direct causation between personality and evidence of underlying disease, so don’t panic if you do have a negative affect or are neurotic.

Instead, you can take this study as a learning opportunity. Patira suggests that you take extra care of yourself by exercising, getting good sleep and eating nutritious foods.

That said, she also noted that this requires effort and discipline, and it’s not easy for everyone (you can’t just will yourself to sleep better). If you find that you are still struggling, reach out to a doctor or therapist for additional support.

According to Salinas, “there’s quite a lot out there in terms of things that you can do to help to reduce your risk.” Healthy lifestyle habits “just put the odds in your favor that you won’t develop these conditions, or if you do develop it, you’ll develop it later than you would have otherwise.”

To decrease your risk, Salinas said you should:

• Exercise regularly. “People who engage in regular physical activity just have a lower risk of all sorts of conditions, and this is one of them. So out of all the things that you can do, this is the one to really spend time and effort [on] as much as you can,” Salinas said.
• Eat a healthy diet. A Mediterranean diet has been shown to help with dementia risk.
• Get enough sleep. “If you have any issues with any sleep disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea … get treated,” Salinas stressed.
• Take care of your heart and blood vessels. It’s important to manage conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
• Have a social support system. “It does seem that having high-quality social connections where you’re able to get support when you need it seems to be protective in some way,” Salinas said.
• Engage in mentally stimulating activities. “It’s in the act of learning something new that we are more likely to create new brain-cell connections,” Salinas said.
• Wear a helmet during activities like biking. Head injuries carry an increased dementia risk.

Salinas said that it’s a common misconception that genetics is the sole influencer of dementia risk. In fact, “the vast, vast majority of dementia is not driven by genetics purely,” he said.

By reducing these risk factors and engaging in brain-healthy behaviors as early in your life as possible (and know that it is never too late to start), you can help keep protective factors in place, he said.

It’s not guaranteed that you won’t develop dementia if you follow the advice above, but you’ll likely be in a better position if you do end up developing disease-related changes, Salinas added. It’s worth a shot.

Let’s challenge an assumption that needs to be debunked: the idea that plucking out one’s own gray (or white) hair will result in multiple ones growing in its stead.

“The color gray does not spread when you pull out hair,” said board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hamdan Absdullah Hamed, also a co-founder of an online platform dedicated to natural hair care solutions. “However, every time you pull it out, you’re removing the follicle as well, so I suggest leaving the white hair as it is.”

Although you won’t promote the growth of gray hair by plucking strands out, you really should try to stay away from the practice because it might end up damaging your follicles.

We still had questions, so we talked to the experts about gray hair health, including why it shows up and whether or not you’re better off simply embracing the look.

Experts agree that the appearance of white or gray strands depends on a variety of factors, including genetics, age and diet.

“As we age, there are hormonal changes causing white hair to show up at a certain age,” explained hair surgeon Dr. Patrick Davis.

According to the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, part of Colorado State University, “by age 50, half of men and women will have at least 50% gray hair.” Those statistics clearly leave room for other factors to be at play.

The easiest way to predict when you’ll go gray is to look at your parents and grandparents. “If they had gray hair at a relatively young age, then there is a good chance that will happen to you as well,” Hamed said.

In addition to these sorts of unchangeable, steady factors, what and how we eat can actually affect the arrival of gray hair.

Specifically, studies confirm that deficiencies in vitamins B12, D3 and calcium may be associated with premature hair graying.

“Vitamin B12 in specific is involved in the production of blood cells, so it is necessary when it comes to hair growth,” Hamed explained.

He also noted that vitamin D3 is thought to stimulate the formation of new hair follicles, which will result in a healthier and fuller head of hair while calcium aids with the secretion of certain hormones which, in turn, can stimulate growth as well.

However, although it follows that adding these elements to one’s daily vitamin intake may prevent hair discoloration, that’s not often the case.

“Taking supplements could push things off a bit,” Hamed said. “But it really depends on a lot of things.”

In fact, he noted that, usually, gray hair caused by a lack of nutrients looks different than age-related discoloration.

“Sometimes, you will look at hair and notice the top and bottom are a different color,” he noted. “That means that we’re dealing with a lack of nutrients, so adding vitamins to your diet may help.”

However, that will only prevent new hair from turning gray — “you’re not reversing the damage already incurred,” he said.

To put it simply, every strand of hair grows out of a follicle found on the skin of the scalp. Each follicle also features pigment cells called melanocytes that produce melanin, a chemical that colors hair and skin.

As we age, these pigment cells die off, therefore cutting down the production of melanin and, as a result, the amount of color that’s basically drenching the hair, effectively turning it gray or white.

“People of African American descent, for example, usually have more melanin so the hair doesn’t dry out as fast and the result skews to getting white hair later,” Hamed explained.

Sure, adding vitamins to your diet may help prevent the graying but if your pigment cells die off, so will the amount of melanin that colors your locks, making discoloration inevitable.

Is it worth it, then, to pull out the discolored hair out considering there is not too much we can do to push off the process?

Davis explained that, even if you pluck out strands that bother you, they will come back looking exactly the same as they were before you removed them.

“The hair follicle is basically the strand’s house, filled with the characteristics of the hair that you removed,” noted the surgeon. “So it will grow back with those characteristics.”

Board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green agreed with the notion. “Once a follicle’s melanocytes die, loss of pigmentation will occur and new gray-colored hairs will grow from that follicle,” she said. ”While plucking gray hairs may lead to hair loss over time, it will not cause more gray hairs to grow, as only one hair strand can grow from a given hair follicle.”

Perhaps more important is the fact that forcibly removing the hair will likely damage the aimed follicle and those around it, maybe even permanently stopping hair growth in the area.

Basically, plucking out the hair is equivalent to shocking the system — the follicle, in specific — damaging it to the point of no return: forget seeing gray hair, you will stop seeing strands grow from that follicle, period.

When you’re a bit older, things get even more complicated.

“People with gray hair are usually older, so the chances of a damaged follicle even growing back are even slimmer,” said Hamed, who also warned against other potential issues. “Whenever you pull out a follicle, it makes a little well inside the skin and, over time, it can fill with oil and dandruff,” he explained. “It can get clogged, and you’ll basically have to deal with an ingrown hair.”

For what it’s worth, Davis did contend that pulling out hair in a specific direction may incur less damage.

“The hair comes out of the scalp in a specific orientation that you have to pay attention to,” he said. “If you go in the opposite angle, it’s going to cause more trauma to the follicle and scar it.”

That being said, he is clear on one thing: “I prefer people not plucking hair.”

When asked about the various supplements currently on the market claiming to reverse or stop the arrival of gray hair, Green acknowledges that although they may make your hair healthier, they won’t do anything about grays in specific.

“Many anti-gray supplements and serums contain vitamins such as B12, peptides and natural herbs that can supposedly prevent or reverse gray hairs,” she said. “While these ingredients may be beneficial for hair health and growth, there is currently no clinical research supporting vitamins or supplements that claim to slow or stop gray hair growth.”

Basically, if you start noticing gray hair, you have two options: You can either embrace the look (or ignore it, depending on how you look at things) or start investing in some hair dye.

After all, according to a recent survey of 2,000 Americans, two out of every five people who have gray hair have chosen to let the hue shine through. Perhaps even more telling is the fact that nearly a tenth of the survey respondents said they have intentionally dyed their hair gray as a style choice.

As we age, past concerns may go to the wayside as new problems pop up. Maybe you feel more stable in your relationships, for example, but you also can’t drink as much because you feel extra anxious the morning after. In other words, each stage has its own joys and struggles.

While we’re all unique in some way, you’re probably less alone than you may think when it comes to those problems. Additionally, a multitude of coping skills can help you handle them, even as tough and emotional as they often feel.

Below, therapists share some of the topics they hear about the most from older clients, as well as how they help or advise clients to handle that distress.

A lot of changes happen as you age, and grieving what had been is normal and understandable.

“I hear a lot about how difficult it is to start transitioning to retirement or getting older physically and mentally,” said Holly Humphreys, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks in Roanoke, Virginia, who works extensively with adults transitioning into retirement and who are 65 and older.

While this goes for losing loved ones, that’s not the only type of grief experienced. “Older adults can also go through the grieving process when they retire from their careers that they have been in for decades,” she continued. “They can also go through the grieving process when they start to notice a decline in either their or their significant other’s mental and physical health.”

What to do: Humphreys encourages her clients to feel their feelings, and she supports them along the way.

“I also assist with providing coping strategies to help older adults to better manage these feelings of anxiety and depression,” she said. “Likewise, I help with problem-solving to make sure they have all of the resources that they may need during this time in their life. Lastly, I provide supportive reflection to allow them a safe space to process their life up to this point and what they want out of their remaining time with their loved ones.”

While having a therapist who can help with this is a smart move, it may not be as accessible for everyone. If that’s the case for you, think of friends and family, and let them know what you need.

As you age, your child does, too, which leads to a change in relationship dynamics.

“One of the most common topics I encounter in counseling with older adults is their relationship with an adult child,” said Alicea Ardito, a therapist with Choosing Therapy who specializes in working with older clients. “Patterns are often established in childhood and adolescence, and it can be a difficult adjustment for older adults to learn how to be the parent of an adult.”

What to do: It all comes down to communication and working together.

“We will often explore ways to improve communication, find connection and establish healthy boundaries in the relationship,” Ardito said. This might look like asking open-ended questions or engaging in activities you both enjoy, for starters.

Kelsey Latimer, a clinical psychologist who has worked with older people, has heard many clients pick themselves apart, especially during times of change, transition and stress.

“The change can trigger a deep sense of instability, loss of control and fear of the unknown,” she explained. “Our mind can disconnect from those underlying things and tend to settle on thinking our bodies are the problem or the wrinkles on our face are why we feel a certain way.”

And, of course, societal beliefs don’t help. “The fact we live in a culture where the aging process is not one seen to be embraced places unrealistic expectations on people and can reinforce these feelings of instability during change,” she added.

What to do: If you struggle with this, Latimer encouraged dealing with your emotions directly, ideally with a professional or friends who are going through similar changes.

“Try to do the best you can to realize this is not about your body, sagging skin or wrinkles on your face — it’s a lot deeper than that,” she said. “Don’t suffer in silence — talk it through and find space for those emotions.”

Aging often comes with reflection, as evidenced by psychoanalyst Erik Erikson. According to his work on stages of psychosocial development, older adults often spend time trying to contribute to the world and looking back on their lives. Did they fulfill their purpose and live life the way they wanted?

This is another commonly discussed topic in therapy. “Clients may reminisce about fond times and regrets, depending on their mood and thoughts during the present session,” said Joel Frank, a licensed psychologist in Los Angeles.

What to do: The three key words here are “validation,” “acceptance” and “change” — usually in that order. “For individuals reflecting on their past, especially their regrets, I typically validate their thoughts and emotions on the topic and work with them on moving toward a perspective of acceptance,” Frank said. While the past can’t be changed, he said, learning from it is crucial.

One aspect you can learn more about is who you are, focusing on your values and desires. “It is also the recognition that there is still time to develop new traits and hobbies, should they wish,” he said. This might look like being more kind, trying an art class or becoming more involved in your place of worship, though those examples only scratch the surface of all the possibilities.

Similar to grief, the aging process is full of loss, unfortunately. “This is a nonfinite loss that does not involve physical death, but there is a sense that the loss is enduring in nature,” said Venetia Leonidaki, a clinical psychologist who’s worked with clients across the lifespan. “For older clients, such a loss could involve having to let go of treasured habits, feeling nostalgic about an important time in life, or coming to terms with a drop in physical or mental strength.”

Another type of loss that encompasses many of the others: a sense of losing your identity.

What to do: Let yourself feel those emotions and try to move forward in positive ways, according to Leonidaki. She validated that even if the loss isn’t clearly visible, it’s valid and significant.

After coming to terms with that, what helps? “As a part of active coping, I’d also get them to focus on the things that they can do instead of those that they can’t,” she said. “Practicing gratitude for the significant things that continue to be present in their lives could also help them counteract feelings of loss.”

Aging is a battle with gravity, and gravity always wins. While many body parts become droopier with each passing year, there’s one that often seems to get bigger with time — our ears. Will it make you feel any better if we tell you they’re not really growing, but just, um, “elongating” themselves? Yeah, we didn’t think so.

We looked into the scientific reasons for this more-or-less-universal human phenomenon. Dr. Nina Shapiro is a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist at Los Angeles’ Westside Head and Neck, and a professor emerita at UCLA. She explains it this way: “Just as the other facial tissues, such as cheeks and jowls, tend to stretch, so do the ear structures.”

“What’s actually changing is the soft tissue, meaning the cartilage of the external ear or auricle, and the lobule, or ear lobe,” Shapiro says. “Aging reduces our levels of collagen, which gives integrity to skin and cartilage, which leads to stretching of those tissues. The functional parts of the ear, including the ear drum, ear bones and inner ear structures, aren’t affected.”

Shapiro offered a few theories about how this can play out for different people. “Those with more laxity to the facial muscles and skin may have more tendency to elongation of the ear cartilage and ear lobes,” she said.

And there may even be a reason you suddenly look in the mirror and see your grandpa — especially around the ears. “Ear size and contour do tend to run in families, so while there may not be an actual ‘gene’ for big ears, you’ll probably find ear shape and size to be similar from one family member to another,” Shapiro suggested.

Another culprit may be your longtime love of layering on the jewels.

“Individuals with multiple piercings, or those who wear heavier earrings, may develop longer and stretchier ear lobes as they age,” Shapiro noted. “If you wear earrings, be mindful of changing out the heavy ones, and try not to sleep with them on.”

In many cultures, big ears are considered an indication of longevity or even prosperity.

Some scientists have investigated whether big ears do indeed play a role in how long people live… with inconclusive results. (A 1995 study, “Why Do Old Men Have Big Ears,” excluded women, but the phenomenon of stretched-out tissues happens pretty much equally for all.)

So far, it seems like those ears are just one more sign of years lived ― not an indicator of how long you’re going to be alive, or how much money is heading your way.

Shapiro did note one ear irregularity that might be linked to overall health.

“The one factor we’ve seen as a health marker from the ears is a crease that can be seen in the earlobe,” she said. “While it is not a direct cause by any means, this crease may be associated with a higher risk of heart disease.”

Steven Picciano, a hair stylist and national artist for Goldwell, has noticed a slight difference in the way men and women treat the issue.

“In the many years I’ve been behind the chair, male clients have rarely expressed concern about the size of their ears,” he said. “But female clients can be a bit more self-conscious, especially with the pressure to wear shorter hair as they age.”

“If clients are concerned about the size of their ears, I always make sure to create a shape that’s tapered through the nape,” he said. “It’s important for the cut to maintain some length and fullness through the top and sides, so a long pixie cut, bob or shag are all great options.”

Another trick you may want to mention to your stylist: “A lot of times it’s necessary to remove the extra weight right above the ear, so the hair can lay closer to the head shape, creating the illusion of less density or bulk in the area,” Picciano suggested.

Shapiro notes that big ears are not necessarily a negative feature. And just like the rest of you, they deserve some care and attention.

“What’s most important is that one protects the ears when it comes to noise exposure, which may lead to permanent hearing loss,” she said. “In addition, as ears often are well-exposed to the sun, any scab or growth that doesn’t heal, or any pigmented lesion, needs to be addressed by your physician or dermatologist to rule out skin cancer. And please remember that ears — of any size — need sunscreen.”

If you think that aging is tough, more prominent ears and all, just consider the alternative and try to be grateful.

“At the end of the day, there are just some things in life we cannot change,” Picciano said. “Truthfully, I hope I live long enough that I can say, ‘Wow, these big ol’ ears are really showing my age.’”

Our real age may be just a number, but our biological age may say a lot more about our longevity.

Last year, the American Heart Association released its updated list of Life’s Essential 8, which the organization defines as “key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health.” This year, the nonprofit went a step further, releasing a report based on the analysis of over 6,500 adults concluding that following the guidelines may actually reduce a person’s “biological age” ― also known as phenotypical age ― by up to five years. That’s a lot.

“A person’s chronological age can be assessed in years, months and days, but biological age is a reflection of chronological age and things like genetics, lifestyle and environment,” Dr. Satyajit Reddy, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona, told HuffPost.

A 27-year-old who smokes, doesn’t exercise and eats poorly may, for example, have a biological age of 32. The opposite is also true: A 49-year-old who sleeps properly and has a healthy diet may have a biological age of 44.

Generally speaking, Reddy explained, there are a set of factors that contribute to one’s biological age that cannot be changed ― think genetics and, in some cases, a person’s environment.

But there are also a slew of modifiable lifestyle aspects that can help minimize one’s biological age. A lot of these are part of the American Heart Association’s checklist.

“Having high cardiovascular health may slow the pace of biological aging, which may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular and other age-related diseases while extending life,” reads an official statement by the American Heart Association.

So, what behaviors should you prioritize? Here’s what the American Heart Association includes on its checklist:

Try to consume mostly whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts and seeds.

“I advise people to moderate the intake of processed foods, especially processed carbs and sugars,” Reddy said. “Processed foods are often designed for overindulgence and cravings. Sugar is found in so many processed food products in our grocery stores and even in foods at restaurants, that we often need to be mindful and vigilant to avoid excessive consumption.”

More specifically, the cardiologist suggested paying attention to how you feel after you consume a meal. “If, within one to two hours, you feel hungry again or tired, then it probably was not an optimal [meal],” he said.

The American Heart Association differentiates between adults and children when it comes to exercise. Adults should opt for 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Kids, on the other hand, should move around for about 60 minutes a day, including structured activities and regular play.

According to Reddy, scheduled exercise like going to the gym is “an excellent way to maintain health,” but a lot of people do feel anxiety surrounding the practice, especially if they lack the time to partake regularly.

His advice? Do what you can.

“Finding a physical activity that you enjoy and look forward to is so important for sustainability,” he said. “Things like dance exercise and yoga, as free videos are easily found on YouTube, walking while listening to a podcast, and more.”

Overall, Reddy suggested, you should try not to be sedentary on a day-to-day basis, “whether that means parking further from the store entrance, or avoiding the elevator and taking stairs, or going for walks with your kids instead of watching a TV show, or setting an hourly timer at work to move from your workstation.”

Smoking is known to contribute to poor cardiovascular health, but according to the American Heart Association, secondhand smoke and vaping can be incredibly dangerous as well. “Traditional” cigarettes aren’t the only issue.

“In modern America, we’ve been led to believe that vaping is better than smoking, and that’s actually not true,” Dr. Leslie Cho, the section head of preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, told HuffPost last year, listing vaping-related health issues that include lung problems, cancer and addiction to nicotine.

Conversations about how many hours of sleep people should get nightly have been going on for decades now.

The American Heart Association claims that adults should aim for an average of between seven to nine hours of sleep a night because “too little or too much sleep is associated with heart disease, studies show.”

Experts and the American Heart Association also note that maintaining a proper weight for your specific body type can help you increase your longevity and improve your biological age. This doesn’t mean extreme dieting and fixating on how your body looks ― this approach is often the opposite of good health. Instead, focus on eating nourishing foods and moving your body in a way that feels good. Every body is different.

High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, also known as bad cholesterol) have been linked with heart disease, strokes and more, which is why it’s important to monitor your numbers at least once a year (a history of high cholesterol and genetics play a role in how often you should be getting a blood test).

Dr. David Samadi explained to HuffPost that the American Heart Association checklist’s suggestions will also help you keep your cholesterol in check — remaining physically active, maintaining a healthy body weight and quitting smoking if you’re a smoker.

“Foods that are high in soluble fiber and phytosterols have been found to be helpful in lowering LDL cholesterol,” Samadi explained, listing foods like nuts, avocado, olive oil, beans, soy, apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits. Fiber supplements containing psyllium, such as Metamucil and other bulk-forming laxatives, may also help.

On a biological level, just about anything we eat is turned into glucose or blood sugar, which is what our bodies use as energy.

“Over time, high levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves,” the American Heart Association states in its guidelines. “As part of testing, monitoring hemoglobin A1C can better reflect long-term control in people with diabetes or prediabetes.” The main way to manage your blood sugar is to monitor your levels and follow a healthy diet.

According to the American Heart Association, optimal blood pressure levels are lower than 120 over 80 (120/80 mmHG). The more you stay within an acceptable range, the healthier you’ll be.

In addition to eating healthy foods and regularly exercising, the Mayo Clinic suggests lowering the amount of sodium in your diet, limiting alcohol intake and reducing stress.

Make sure to also monitor your blood pressure at home (you can buy a monitor without a prescription) and get regular check-ups.

If you haven’t been practicing these habits, don’t panic: Reddy said that there’s always time to make a switch.

“It is our exposure to things like smoking, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, excess blood sugar, excess weight, etc. over many years that leads to accumulated harm to our health,” Reddy said. “Following as many of these eight guidelines [as possible] helps reduce that exposure over time. I believe in the concept that our bodies adapt to what we repeatedly do and are exposed to every day. Improving habits and health parameters lead to healthier bodies over a lifetime.”

That being said, genetics obviously play a big role ― in everything from how our body holds weight to our disease risk ― which is why it’s also important to regularly visit your doctor.

“An analogy that is often used is that ‘genetics load the gun but behaviors pull the trigger,’” Reddy said. “Aside from particular cardiac disorders, we know that lifestyle and behavior [play] a vitally important role in whether a particular cardiac predisposition will manifest.”

Follow as many healthy lifestyle guidelines as you can for as long as you can ― they will all make a difference.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the American Heart Association’s recommended exercise guidelines.