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?

It's got to be a range, not one age!
I would say 40 to late 60s...

I’m 31 and I would absolutely not define myself as middle aged. That’s so young to be considered middle aged, maybe people haven’t even settled down by then.

I would say around 45-65 , anything above I would class as old age.

I’m 48 and see myself as middle aged.

No way is 60 the start of middle age. I'm 62 and I'd say 60 is the start of old age.

Only a few years ago the state retirement age was 60 for women. At 60 I got a free bus pass, could buy a senior railcard and get free or reduced entry to exhibitions, theatre etc. That shows that 60 is considered to be old.

Middle age to me is late 40s, 50s and 60s. Old age would be 70+

I’m 53 and would consider myself well past middle age - I’d describe myself as “an older woman”. At 60 I’d say “an old woman”, then 70 “elderly”.

I'm astonished at the people saying that 39/40 is 'young/early adulthood'. If you're still in early adulthood having been one for 22 years, why isn't a 22yo considered a toddler?!

I think the main problem is that many people have a subconscious ageism and thus see it as a loaded/insulting term, when it's just meant to be descriptive and nothing more.

Surely she was just being deliberately humorous, wasn't she? Like when people wear t-shirts like this!

We're fans of Challenge TV and old game shows in this house, and we often watch vintage Bullseye. Jim Bowen is a classic 'old person' from his looks, voice, language, clothes and mannerisms... but then when you look at when the programme was made and do the maths, he was actually in his mid-40s!

40 ish. I've only got a few years left. I'm not happy about it

My mum says this that she still feels like a teenager. I don't get it, I changed a lot up till the age of about 30

Well I guess it's subjective. I was born in 1957 and 60 was indeed considered old in my childhood. And if you reached the age of 75 you'd an extremely good innings. But now people are regularly living to 100. My dad died in 1978 at age 63 and most people thought he'd reached a reasonably good age, but now they would think it was rather premature. I'm 69 and many of my peer group still have parents alive which would've been almost unthinkable back then. Anyway, I didn't say 60 was the start of middle age, I said 50 was but you might be able to stretch it to 60 in this day and age.

I think I'll just give myself till I'm 45 and I'll be middle aged then

I would say 40 onwards. I'm 45 and have considered myself middle aged for a few years.

I know how your mum feels tbh, I'll be 60 next year but constantly have to remind myself of my age as I don't feel any older than about 30 most of the time. And occasionally (like when I met up with a childhood friend recently 😄), I can sometimes revert to feeling like a teenager as well.

This article is quite interesting and, as a middle aged person, strikes a chord with me. So I would say from 44. But it isn't all doom and gloom - life experience, more confidence, stronger friendships - it is what you make it
www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/14/scientists-find-humans-age-dramatically-in-two-bursts-at-44-then-60-aging-not-slow-and-steady

I don't care because I refuse to accept labels. I'm eternally 21. Fight me. 😜

40 & 50s as a general term

It's interesting how most people seem to automatically consider 'middle-aged' as a negative thing - with some apparently seeing it as meaning 'approaching death'!

Surely it should be seen as a positive thing: people who are mature adults, with all of the knowledge and wisdom in life that a 25yo simply will not yet have; yet still largely physically capable, mentally astute and able to contribute to society in a trusted elder role and in leadership in many responsible positions which a younger adult isn't yet experienced enough for and which an elderly person may no longer be easily able to cope with.

It's a wide age-range and a significant chunk of your life; it's not a single point that you suddenly hit and instantly begin your downward spiral!

40 plus

Gosh. It always surprises me when people in their 60s consider that to be old. Tbh these days, with people living longer and staying younger in their ways, I tend to think of old age as starting at 70. (This may or may not be denial given that I am going to be 60 next year, tbf. 😄)

I would agree with you re 80+ being very old, although even there I think there are 'outliers' so to speak, people you'd consider definitely elderly but not very old. My MIL is 87 this week but she's fitter, healthier and has far more energy than I (with various chronic health issues, unfortunately) have ever had. 😄

I do think, though, that in previous generations 60 definitely seemed old. When I was a child my grandparents seemed as old as the hills 😆and I don't think that was just a case of everything being relative - they dressed 'old', had wrinkles, walked with a stoop etc. I do think things like better nutrition and healthcare, higher overall life expectancy, and just changing mindsets have all played a part.

It could be a genetic thing. Increasing life expectancy stretching out the phases of life

I am over 60 and consider myself to be well past middle aged. I notice aches and pains I never used to have. I am however really fit, eat well and look after myself. I think that education for younger people on the importance of looking after your body would be a good thing as I have plenty of younger friends who have arguably worse health than me and just don't look after themselves. It all catches up with you over 60.

I’m 60, so I reckon 70 😉