Anxiety, aging, and life in Japan

Living in Japan long-term has a way of marking time without you noticing. One minute I was figuring out train lines and setting up my life here in my late 20s, and the next I'm in my early 40s, realizing that aging has been happening right alongside my expat journey.

A recent survey by Wellness Lab Co., Ltd., which gathered responses from 422 women in their 40s and 50s, puts some structure around feelings many of us probably recognize. Around 65% of the respondents said they feel anxious about getting older. For us expats in Japan, I think that anxiety can come with an extra layer. We're not just dealing with physical changes that come with getting older, but also navigating them in a different language, via a different healthcare system, and often without the same support network we might have back home.

At the same time, the more positive findings were also worth noting. Nearly 40% of respondents said they like who they are now more than before. After more than a decade here, that resonated with me. Living abroad tends to accelerate self-awareness and plenty of personal growth. You learn how to adapt and how to define your lifestyle outside of people's "traditional" expectations.

The survey also found that people who feel better about themselves as they age tend to stop pushing themselves as hard, focus more on their own pace, and take better care of their health. In Japan, that can show up in small but meaningful ways. For me it has been leaning into routines like regular walks, cycling, and onsen visits.