title: Feeling old today? Daily health, stressors, and affect explain day-to-day variability in subjective age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Subjective age is an important correlate of health, well-being, and longevity. So far, little is known about short-term variability in subjective age and the circumstances under which individuals feel younger/older in daily life. This study examined whether (a) older adults' felt age fluctuates on a day-to-day basis, (b) daily changes in health, stressors, and affect explain fluctuations in felt age, and (c) the daily associations between felt age and health, stressors, or affect are time-ordered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an eight-day daily diary approach, N = 43 adults (60-96 years, M = 74.65, SD = 8.19) filled out daily questionnaires assessing subjective age, health, daily stressors, and affect. Data were analysed using multilevel modelling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjective age, health, daily stressors, affect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intra-individual variability in felt age was not explained by time but by short-term variability in other variables. Specifically, on days when participants experienced more than average health problems, stress, or negative affect they felt older than on days with average health, stress, or negative affect. No time-ordered effects were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bad health, many stressors, and negative affective experiences constitute circumstances under which older adults feel older than they typically do. Thus, daily measures of subjective age could be markers of health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Neuroscience , Duke University , Durham , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kotter-Grühn
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , North Carolina State University , Raleigh , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Shevaun D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Neupert
authors.affiliation: c Department of Sport Sciences, Psychology and Medicine , University of Montpellier , Montpellier , France.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stephan
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: affect; health; intra-individual variability; stressors; subjective age