Common changes that may appear after age 75 and how to deal with them in a healthy way.

After 75, the brain no longer sleeps the way it once did.
The phase of deep sleep, essential for tissue repair, memory consolidation, and physical recovery, becomes much shorter. At the same time, the body produces less melatonin each year, making it harder to fall asleep and remain asleep.

Your internal clock also shifts earlier. You may feel sleepy sooner in the evening and wake up very early in the morning. Sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented, with frequent awakenings during the night, even if you don’t always recall them.

This doesn’t mean sleep is worse—just different. Trying to force old routines often leads to insomnia and frustration. Your body is simply operating on a new rhythm.

4. Temperature regulation weakens

The body’s ability to manage heat and cold declines.
Neurons in the brain that sense temperature decrease, the skin becomes thinner, and metabolism generates less internal heat.

As a result, older adults often feel cold when others are comfortable or become overheated more easily. Signals for thirst, chills, or overheating also become less reliable, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, or hypothermia.

Overall tolerance to temperature changes drops noticeably.

3. Digestion slows and becomes more sensitive

After 75, the digestive system enters a phase of long-term slowdown.

The body produces less saliva, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes. Nutrient absorption becomes less efficient, and intestinal movement slows, often causing bloating, heaviness, and constipation.

This explains why foods that were once easy to digest may now cause discomfort, gas, or a sensation that food is sitting heavily in the stomach.

This isn’t a sudden food intolerance—it’s a physical change in how the digestive system functions.

2. Balance declines on multiple fronts

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