It's known to be the "golden age" of human beings - the time when everyone is carefree, worry free and happy. When people age and live their lives differently, they remember how wonderful those youthful days were. According to a report on MSN, a study confirmed that people who are in their 20s are living their happiest years. It also mentioned the fears of anyone who is approaching middle age. There is hope even if researchers warn that most people in thieir 40s have a lower life satisfaction. Consequently, their findings show that life gets better at 65. This study was conducted through a survey conducted by the National Househould, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia.
Australian researcher, Dr Ioana Ramia, from the University of New South Wales, said her research found "life satisfaction follows a pattern, it decreases from the early 20s, steady level for about 40 years and it does get better and increases at 65." Dr Ramia was a guest spokesperson for the Australian Social Policy Conference where she explained the findings of a study that investigated how life satisfaction and expectations change as people age and the reasons behind them.
Some couples reported greatest satisfaction at life just before having their first child and a dip from their first year of life through to when the child reaches six years old and started school.
The importance placed on money and jobs were possible reasons why people became unhappier during their middle years. The doctor further explained that the happiness levels at this time is at its lowest. It will only increase once people focus on other things.
Although her researched was focus on a certain age when people are at their happiest, Dr. Ramia said, "The peaks at young and old age remained poorly understood, with question marks around how satisfaction could remain constant across the major parameters described yet manage to increase with age overall". "Defining what 'satisfaction' was and how it was rated by subjects was also a challenge for future research, she added.
