How old are you really?

A few months ago, a couple of coworkers were trying to figure out my age. Eventually, one of them just came out and asked me. Several of them thought I was significantly younger than I actually am. I know this is not because of the way I look (I think I look my age), but rather because of the energy level that I have.

I have my good days and I have my bad days. I wish that I had taken better care of my health in my twenties, but I am trying to make up for it in my thirties. As it turns out, good health for any age group is in a state of flux, since we are all aging differently.

We've all been there - we've met someone who appears significantly older or younger than we are, only to find out they are the same age as us. And we all wonder at the decisions in life they made to make them look that way.

The study on the link above took a look at the health of individuals and compared their "biological age" to their "chronological age" to see what the effects of sun exposure, smoking and stress did to various bodies. The researchers in the study discovered that those who scored as "biologically older" scored lower on IQ and strength tests. Those who scored higher were found to take better care of themselves.

I think that beyond the basics of being healthy, a lot of acting younger has to do with your state of mind. I act young and I feel young. And thankfully, I work in an environment where I am allowed to have fun (which couldn't hurt, right?).

What about you? What activities do you think keep you young? Tell me about them in the comments.