A 48-year-old individual expresses concern that their hair is not as full as it once was and that they are seeing a noticeable increase in silver strands. These observations are most characteristic of the physical developments occurring in which stage of life?

Changes to the hair during middle adulthood include:

- Thinning
- Graying

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New Mexico Highlands University

Physical changes occur gradually during middle adulthood. These changes impact:

- Skin
- Vision
- Fertility
- Weight
- Hair

Physical Changes during Middle Adulthood

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Visual acuity declines during middle adulthood.

Vision Changes during Middle Adulthood

Skin changes are among the first indicators of aging. These changes include:

- Reduction in skin elasticity
- Wrinkles

Skin Changes during Middle Adulthood

During middle adulthood, fertility undergoes a gradual decline, culminating in menopause for women. Menopause, which typically occurs around age 50, marks the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle.

Fertility Changes during Middle Adulthood

Weight changes during middle adulthood include:

- Increased weight in the abdomen for men
- More weight in the hips and thighs for women

Weight Changes during Middle Adulthood

If a woman is in middle adulthood and is about fifty years old, what changes would you expect her to undergo during this phase of her life?

Being aware of the natural changes that occur during aging, can allow people to be more comfortable with the process. This may reduce feelings of distress around health if one realizes the changes they are experiencing are normal. Additionally, such awareness,will allow people to make realistic comparisons to others that are their age rather than feeling discontent comparing to themselves to those of a different age bracket.

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