Some middle-aged Americans say they feel older than their actual age.
2,000 Americans were polled in the survey commissioned by Motive Health, Inc. and conducted by Talker Research. It found that Americans over the age of 45 feel on average 12 years older than their actual age.
According to the survey, 55% of people who feel older than their actual age say joint pain is a contributing issue. You're not alone because most Americans (85%) experience some sort of joint pain. Meanwhile, 45% of people said they have held back their daily lives because of it.
Janna Johnson, healthy living expert and best-selling author, said experiencing joint pain can lead to people not being active or eating well, creating a snowball effect of poor decisions for your health and overall well-being.
"When you sit down all the time and don't move a lot, we don't grow the same and our posture is not the same," said Johnson. "The number one fix for joint pain is actually to work out."
The study also found that people who feel older than their actual age said it manifests through body pain (55%), getting tired easily (48%) and feeling overall less active (31%).
"All of these things tie in together and then what happens is these people don't get out and don't socialize and it becomes a downward spiral," Johnson said.
Johnson overcame Lyme disease in 2012. She said she was able to get rid of it by focusing on changing her mindset and focusing on what she put in her body. She became a nutritionist following that process.
"Food is your medicine," she said. "I believe I can get well and I choose to believe so by actually following through with my thoughts and stepping into my purpose."
Getting a good amount of sleep and spending time outside on a regular basis are also great ways to stay healthy and maybe even turn back the clock.