Does stress get worse as you get older?

I dont recall being stressed 20+ years ago; but these days if I try to do ordinary tasks I seem to get stressed.

I function 100% normally at work, but I find getting my house in order stressfull.

Not really sure why, I did get wheezy after houswork is there was dust when I was a child.

I just have a cup of tea, or go online untill I can tackle the next task. I write lists of what I have to do, because they seem to never get done. I seem to complete only a few from the list. It may be worse at the moment, because I am short of money and getting things done sometimes involves spending money. Stress is common, is it common in ones home-life? It has taken me 6 months to get my bathroom decorated.

Yes I think so! Things that didn't me years ago, do now. Not noted for having any patience (understatement according to my family) The manners, or lack of them in others, aggressive drivers, the list is endless................

Without being funny or indeed prescriptive, but what you describe doesn't sound like stress, it sounds like the onset or manifestation of depression. As someone who has several family members prone to depression it sounds very familiar.

Funnily enough, the things that used to stress me out when I was younger (usually what people thought of me, how I would cope if this or that happened) just don't bother me anymore.

When I was younger I was very self conscious and most of my anxieties related to other people. Now I'm older those things tend to worry me less.

But as tzijlstra mentioned above, older people can become more prone to depression, particularly if they are isolated; and of course feeling stressed and anxious is symptomatic of depression.

I think that you become less able to cope well with stress as you get older.

Daven has got it spot on el cid,I have noticed that things I would have just not bothered about when I was forty seem to get to me now.It does sound like you are suffering from depression though.You need to go to your gp and explain,hopefully you will be ok after a course of medication.

Daven has got it spot on el cid,I have noticed that things I would have just not bothered about when I was forty seem to get to me now.It does sound like you are suffering from depression though.You need to go to your gp and explain,hopefully you will be ok after a course of medication.

I have a view that people should just get on with things, and not make excuses, but I do wonder if I could function better. I am better when I am busy, its still school holiday time, so too much time.

I dont feel depressed, I just got on with doing my best, but I would like my life to improve - on the relationship side.

I am 50+ and single parent, but still looking. I did have coffee with a lady the other day, but very unsure which way things will go. But better house and car, the last year, just need to stop spending too much. Beer tonight, I still get out regulary; so I should be happier than many.

Families of 2 adults and 2 or more kids used to manage on one full time wage ... this is not common now, due to housing costs, standard of living expectations, and other factors. People are knocking themselves out these days trying to do everything, cooking, cleaning, bringing up kids, as well as giving 100% at work, which is an impossible ideal. Give yourself a break! You took 6 months to decorate your bathroom? Mine took years ...

Not really sure why, I did get wheezy after houswork is there was dust when I was a child.

@El Cid - do you mean that you got wheezy as a child or that you get wheezy now? Whichever it is, it rather sounds as if you have asthma and need some treatment so the first thing to do is visit your general practitioner. Tackling housework is bound to be more difficult if you cannot breathe properly and of course that in itself is stressful.

On the subject of does stress get worse as you get older, in my experience (I am older than you) I would say no because you learn what is important in life and disregard the rest. The thing that is irritating when you get older is that you cannot do what you did when you were younger, both mentally and physically. This can cause frustration if you don't learn to cope with these limitations. You need to learn to accept yourself as you are at this stage in your life. You are doing well to be functioning efficiently at work so don't be down on yourself for letting things go a bit at home.

There is a lot of pressure these days (especially in the media) to be all singing and all dancing in senior years. That's fine if you can achieve these expectations, but not all can. Having said that, if you have any health issues that need addressing then it would make sense to do so.

I think its just an age thing. As ive got older I feel I need to write lists to remember to do things. Im a busy working single mum so have so much going around in my head I forget to do things, I dont have the energy at the end of my working day by the time Ive cooked tea & walked the dog. By the time its got to my day off I have the shopping & normal house chores to do so dont get time for decorating & stuff. I just dont get stressed about it, its not worth it, I will eventually get my home as I want it, I wake up in a morning healthy & my family is healthy, who could ask for more

I think so. For example. I am 23 but I am working NON stop, because in the future I want to have baby, after that it will be more stress. So, it is normal. Life is stress )))

I think so. For example. I am 23 but I am working NON stop, because in the future I want to have baby, after that it will be more stress. So, it is normal. Life is stress )))

Or, you could just do fun stuff, so that, life is fun instead. Just throwing it out there.