7 Ways Your Body Gets Stronger As You Get Older

There are few things worse than reading article after article about how the aging process wreaks havoc on our bodies.

If it’s not bad enough that our hair is thinning and becoming sprinkled with gray, we’re also shrinking. Indeed, starting at about age 40, people typically lose about half an inch each decade, according to Harvard Medical School.

But there’s some good news, too. Although it undoubtedly becomes harder to firm up certain parts of our bodies as we age — think squishy arms — it’s not impossible. And in certain cases, our bodies actually get stronger and better with age.

For example, many people exhibit greater stamina as they grow older. Although some research shows that one’s body reaches peak fitness at around age 35, other studies show no significant age-related decline in performance for decades to come. In fact, some 25 percent of the 65- to 69-year-old runners tested in one study were faster than 50 percent of the 20- to 54-year-old runners. Experts say that older athletes often perform better because their bodies have been tested more, so they know what reserves they’re able to tap into.

Beyond greater stamina, here are six other ways bodies get better and stronger with age