What is up? Gen Z's seem to age faster than other generations!

What is up? Gen Z's seem to age faster than other generations!

Phrases like “aging like milk” , “looking much older than they really are” , and “maturing fast” have been thrown at Generation Z's on social media, with posts about it on different platforms becoming viral. 

Generation Z,  those who are currently between 12 and 27 years old, are preceded by the Millennials born between 1981 and 1996 and followed by the Generation Alpha born between 2013 and 2024. This generation of young people born between 1997 and 2012 are thought to look much older than Millennials. 

Generation Z's themselves and even experts weighed in on the subject, “Are GenZs really aging faster?”  that it became so popular and many reasons were put forward.

• Fear of the unknown. 

One popular idea was that Gen Z's are not really aging faster, they are just scared of “becoming old” and what aging would bring them. 

The older Gen Z's have reached the age where they have transitioned from teenage years into young adulthood. At around age 25, it feels like you are at the edge; the whole world is welcoming you to exciting opportunities, yet there is a feeling of insecurity, doubt and a lot of fears. This period from 25 to 35 years of age is where many go through “quarter life crisis.” Maybe this fuels Gen Z's agreeing to the notion that they do “look and feel older” than their age. 

• Internet-addled perception. 

Gen Z's are the first generation to actually grow up with Internet connectivity. It’s a norm to be online, have social media accounts and to be able to record their day to day life and share them. 

The use of face filters have somewhat spread a message that to be acceptable and beautiful in this day and age, we have to look effortlessly made up. The hyper-focus on being perfect like everybody else and the inevitable appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with age put so much pressure on young people to maintain a “youthful and beautiful” appearance online. 

Marketing of products aimed to prevent aging has been so successful even to the point of reaching young GenZs as young as 13 to 14 years old.

• Challenges with finances causing uncertainty. 

Inflation, an impending recession, and the demands of making a living in this unstable economy may be factors for Gen Z’s stress. 

The rising cost of housing and basic goods, plus the desire to be able to afford experiences such as travel, concerts, and hobbies add to the distress that they carry. Also, being pressured to reach a level of success before they reach 30 is also weighing them down. 

Not knowing what to expect in their financial future causes immense pressure. 

1. Lifestyle habits leaning into getting poor sleep and diet, and lack of physical activity. 

They say now that sitting is the new smoking. (4) Certainly, the recent pandemic showed us that we can stay in our homes for long periods, being entertained by streaming services, video games, and online messaging. But it has also given rise to a more sedentary lifestyle even among Gen Z's. 

When muscles are not used in physical activity like walking, jogging, body-weight exercises, stretching, strengthening exercises etc., our bodies miss out on the health-producing hormones from muscles and better blood flow. 

In addition, the more screen time Gen Z's have, the more they develop unhealthy sleeping habits that disrupt their normal sleep-wake cycle. Missing out on the required 7 to 8 hours of sleep most nights increases our body’s inflammation and contributes to faster cellular aging. 

Lastly, the accessibility and preference for processed food and fast food has contributed to worsening of their physical health and wellbeing. 

Aging is a normal part of life and it does bring along its perks. Living a seemingly vibrant life online while neglecting our lives outside of the Internet delays our enjoyment of life and aging. So if you feel that the pressures are getting too much, turning off your connectivity and going out to connect with real people might help. Find offline friends and do activities offline. 

Those crow’s feet you’re scared of may be laugh lines of a life well lived. Go and live happily! 

If you are a mental health professional, check out a variety of mental health careers available and create a positive change in the healthcare industry.