What do you consider to be 'middle age'?

[ToadRage]

This is a question my mother-in-law has caused me to wonder. When I was younger I guess I always considered 'middle age' to be those over 50 however this would only be practical if most people lived to 100, this is not the case. So now I am pushing 40 I am wondering 'Am I middle aged?' My husband is 44 and considers himself to be middle aged. How old are you and at what age did you or will you consider yourself to be middle aged?

I'm 44 this month and reckon I'd class that as middle aged. It's a depressing thought.

I'd say about 45 to 65 but it's more of a state of mind than an exact age thing.

I am 68, and not quite sure I have got there yet.

I’d say 5os. I know technically you should just take average age and half it, but I think for me Middle Aged is fifties.

i saw someone on here say middle aged was early 30s.😂

I’m 36 and I think middle aged is 40 and above

40-50

40+

I'm a lot older than that now, but I remember looking forward to it! 😆

Mainly because I looked about 25 back then, so it gave me a lot of laughs. 😁

I think 50s. But then I'm 48 and not quite ready to admit it I'm middle aged.

55+ maybe? But I think it's more stage of life than age.

I'm 44, my youngest has just turned 5 so I'm still running about in playgrounds and going on the slide at soft play. A friend from work is also 44 but her youngest is about to go to uni so her life seems much more mature than mine does.

When is this something you need to come up with an answer for?

I can honestly say I've never given this a thought about myself or anyone else

Why does it matter?

I’m 65 and am clinging on to middle age because I don’t feel old enough to be old yet!

I would say mid / late 40s through to early 60s.

I am middle aged!

35-45

Unless everyone thinks they're all going to live to 100?!

I'm 54 so happy with the middle age tag. Worried about when old age kicks in though. 60

Considering the average life expectancy is 80 (give or take) I think it’s reasonable that middle age is 40+. Though as life expectancy in my family is pretty shocking I’d say middle age for my lot is 30-35 😂

40+

I think mid 40s to early 60s. Over 65 is pensioner, 80+ is old age.

0 - 30 Youth
30 - 60 Middle Age
60 - 90 Old Age

90+ "Oh my! Is he/she still alive age."

40 plus.

I am 60

For me it felt by about 35. I started to embrace my frumpy side and make the most of it.

I’m 68 and clinging on to middle age, as a previous poster said. Apart from the usual aches and pains, I don’t actually feel old at all. The only real difference between young me and older me is that I ran out of fucks to give many years ago.

I'm 60 and consider myself old. Middle aged is 40.

I'd say 50. So many people have small children in their 40s now and that keeps them in a different phase of life/mindset longer.

That being said, you can be 50 and look like you are 45 or you can be 50 and look like you are 65. Your choice.

Does that mean you think 46 is old age?!

To me, middle aged must be 40+. Middle aged isn’t a synonym for elderly.

I can’t imagine the average person has a life expectancy of 100, a life expectancy of 80 (ie 40 x 2) seems more likely.

If people in their 20s are young adults, and 30s are adults, it follows that people who are 40+ would be seen as middle of the road in terms of “middle aged”. You are getting to the point where you’ve lived about the same amount of time, as you will go on to live in the future.

plus, 40s are a totally different life stage to 20s or early 30s. It’s not elderly either. It’s in the middle.