Do spontaneous surges of happiness become less common in your late 40s?

[satinbrew]

If you are say late 40's and older, how often do you get a surge of just great mood / mild euphoria for literally no reason? I feel that when I was younger like in my teens and 20's I would just get this surge of happiness every so often for no real reason just a sort of Friday / Weekend buzz or a song on the radio that just got me buzzing. I suppose you could also call it a sort of feeling of wellbeing and happiness.

I've just realised that doesn't really happen anymore and probably hasn't for a while.

Things are fine and I am happy but maybe just jaded or perhaps its my hormones dose diving.

Anyone else noticed this decline in spontaneous good mood or wellbeing at this age?

I don’t really get these any more- I’m in my late 40s. I would say I haven’t really had them since my late 30s. I actually wonder whether taking SSRIs did it in my case. When I was on them I noticed that I no longer experienced spontaneous joy/excitement. I thought it would resolve when I stopped taking them but I’m not sure it ever did.

Or maybe it’s just something that naturally happens to some or most of us as we get older.

I have more surges of happiness in my 50s than I’ve had in my life.

Exactly the same for me.
☝️

Yeah I’m similar. I’m definitely happy and content but I don’t get surges of joy anymore. I used to feel excited about a night out/ a good song/ a new outfit etc. but I don’t get those feelings of excitement so often now. But I can’t complain really as am generally pretty content.
I also don’t laugh anywhere near as much as I used to. Belly laughing is quite rare for me now.

I’m 52 & I still get them every so often. They started again in my 40s after I got divorced.

Yes, I’d agree with this.

I do also think stats suggest the late 40s can be challenging but that your level of happiness goes up again in your 50s.

Yes to a certain extent (I’m a tiny bit younger - mid 40s). I think certainly in my case it’s a combination of (1) life feels just generally harder as I have just soooooo many more responsibilities than when younger - am very conscious how carefree everything felt in comparison when I was younger (career family aging parents etc) (2) I think once you’ve got to this age, chances are you’ve had at least a few traumatic experiences which inevitably and sadly come at some point in life, be that close bereavement, health issues of your own or loved ones etc., and I think they just take a toll on you / make you aware of how fragile and precious things are and (3) I guess you just generally feel a bit tireder / less energetic - that plus all of the above means there’s just less time scope and energy for spontaneous joy etc.

god that all sounds a bit depressing doesn’t it! I have definitely been going through one of those very difficult life periods for the past year and a bit, which also just leaves less time for fun things. I think my friends are a bit in the trenches too so we meet up less frequently as well.

on the flip side, the past very challenging year (and resultant therapy) has given me a new found perspective, self confidence in my own resilience etc, and genuine appreciation for the simple things in life, simple calm days, so I do feel a sense of pleasure when a great song comes on, or a walk on a nice day etc.

Yeah, I’m hoping that happiness goes back up again in our 50s!

That’s good to know @LughLongArm! I’ve found my 40s challenging- I lost my parents in my mid 30s so my memories of my late 30s and early 40s are a bit of a miserable grief blur. Then perimenopause started up in my early 40s. Plus the stress and worry of parenting teens… (and all the external events- Brexit, Trump, Covid etc) I can see how my 50s might be happier overall, hopefully 🙏 (As long as the wider world doesn’t continue to get shitter 🥴😬)

I've noticed this and also wondered if it was down to negative life experiences and my use of SSRIs. I'm 40 and I'd say I get that feeling of mild euphoria once or twice a year now. I'd love to think I'll experience a resurgence in a later decade....or any point in the future really. World events have been pretty dire since Brexit and Covid really x

I’m just thinking some more about the question and how I answered it.

I don’t get the euphoric excitement or big thrills. I don’t get the belly laughs either.

But I do get really deep contentment out of all sorts of everyday things, like tea, blankets, being in nature, dogs, cake… Simple things can make me feel like the luckiest person in the world for a few brief moments. If contentment is the new happiness, I’ll take it.

I felt like that today, funnily enough. I would think it’s personality based rather than age related.

I’ve got to say, I don’t remember the last time I felt ‘joy’ 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m 53 now, have had a very hard few years and just feel ‘meh’ pretty much all the time, even when nice things happen.

I've recently started getting them again, aged 51. Makes me nervous to be honest, keep expecting something horrific to come along and take the wind out of my proverbial sails.

More after I got divorced.

I’m 60 & get them more as I get older, especially since I stopped drinking. So much joy!

For the majority happiness increases again as we age. I'm experiencing it for sure, just a moment of sheer pleasure at a viewing, a kind gesture, an appreciation of joy.https://www.brookings.edu/articles/this-happiness-age-chart-will-leave-you-with-a-smile-literally/

Image of graph. My take a while.

I get them more now, stress is easing off, money is fine luckily enough, my weight is healthy again, so I feel it more often,

I still get them (early 40s). I don’t think it’s age - I think it’s how much pressure you’re under.

I'd say that the graph completely represents my experience.
I lost my joy a bit in my 40s - bereavement, caring for elderly parents, then bereavement and getting a bit fed up with work. A lot of soul searching and grind.
In my 50s - a release from the above. More joy and happiness than ever before.
60s - bursts of happiness all the time and more contentment with the small but important things in life.

Perhaps but I definitely got them loads when I was a bit younger but once I hit peri they seemed to get rather thin on the ground. Perhaps for some its personality based but for others I think the reduction is down to maybe ageing, less energy, hormones, mid life stress, health issues and so on. I probably don't have a lot of energy anymore so I feel tired rather than buoyant and excited about things. I suppose I think that if I had more energy back to deal with everything I might get that a bit more often.

Late 50s here, and feel as happy - if not more - than in my 20s. Financially secure, no responsibilities, live in a lovely home in a lovely area, nearly at retirement age, (work very part time now,) loving life.

Hmm that is really interesting about the dip in your 40's then getting happier as you get older again! I hope that is the case! I wonder if those who do get that happy wellbeing feeling think it is down to anything in particular? For example is do you feel you got fitter and stronger and therefore have more energy and body confidence? Is it HRT, (according to a friend of mine testosterone is the answer), did you get yourself out of a bad situation either at home or work?

I’m not really sure that I’ve ever had that many randomly spontaneous surges of happiness. Like it comes out of nowhere or you think to yourself the sun shining, everything’s calm life is good?

Is this a thing for everyone or am I just not understanding you correctly?