In terms of actual self-assessed satisfaction, on average people tend to be most satisfied in their early 20s and in their late 60s (ht Ms Eclectic)
The researcher found that "current life satisfaction is U-shaped between ages 20 and 70."This U-shaped happiness:
- Occurs between 20-70 years of age.
- Peaks around 23 and 69 years of age.
- Hits a bottom around the mid-50s.
- Declines after 75 years of age.
Hannes Schwandt found people do not tend to anticipate this U-shaped happiness throughout their lives.Instead, generally people expect young adulthood to be the happiest time of their lives and for that happiness to slowly decrease with age. After the late 50s, people have stable life expectations, which is contrary to how life satisfaction actually increases for the most part.
(Perhaps the graph of actual satisfaction should be called "M-shaped") This summary certainly seems to reflect how my life has gone. My expectations were probably inordinately high when I was a young adult. And I could not imagine that I'd be as contented/happy/satisfied as I am now.
Why do expectations of happiness for seniors seem to be so low for people in their 60s and early 70s? Is it loss of status? loss of work? loss of income? family squabbles? expectations of physical ailments? anticipation of boredom? a foreboding sense of emptiness?
I know that at times I used to view retirement as being put into a holding pen, waiting to die. But those moments never lasted very long. Instead, I am still having one heck of a good time and hoping it lasts awhile longer.
Addendum: David Henderson, a former student, is also content.