An interesting survey of those between the ages of 25 and 45 conducted by OnePoll found that the majority of people in this age group feel older than their actual physical age.

Study Finds explains:

NEW YORK — Do the aches and pains of the daily grind make you feel years older than you really are? A new survey finds you’re not alone. In fact, 64 percent of Americans between 25 and 45 say they feel physically older than their actual age.

The OnePoll study finds four in 10 say that they also have aches and pains that they have no idea where they came from. The average American has seven different aches they can’t explain. Mentally, however, 73 percent feel younger than they really are.

Sixty-three percent of respondents admit they feel much older than they expected to at their current age. Nine out of ten Americans report being concerned about their heart health. Immune health (87%) and eye health (87%) are also major health concerns respondents have.

READ: 30 is the new 50? Most Americans say they feel physically older than they really are

But does it matter? Well it may. The Bible tells us that how we think does impact us:

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7a NKJV)

And some studies suggest that thinking we are older than our actual physical age may affect us both physically and mentally.

The BBC explains:

Most people feel younger or older than they really are – and this ‘subjective age’ has a big effect on their physical and mental health. […]

Yannick Stephan at the University of Montpellier examined the data from three longitudinal studies which together tracked more than 17,000 middle-aged and elderly participants.

Most people felt about eight years younger than their actual chronological age. But some felt they had aged – and the consequences were serious. Feeling between 8 and 13 years older than your actual age resulted in an 18-25% greater risk of death over the study periods, and greater disease burden – even when you control for other demographic factors such as education, race or marital status.

READ: The age you feel means more than your actual birthdate