What if the best is yet to come? For the past twenty years or so, numerous studies have described a striking pattern: perceived well-being tends to decline throughout youth and early adulthood, reaching its lowest point around the end of one's forties, and then rising again. In other words, after a low point around age 45-50, many people report feeling more satisfied with their lives once more.
The famous U-shaped trajectory
Economist David Blanchflower popularized the idea of a U-shaped "happiness trajectory." Analyzing data from over a hundred countries, he observed that life satisfaction, high among young adults, gradually declines to a low point around age 47, before rising again. This pattern, found in both men and women and in a wide variety of contexts, suggests that age influences mood independently of income, education level, or family situation.
Why does it come back after quarantine?
Researchers offer several explanations. The first relates to the adjustment of expectations: with experience, we stop constantly comparing ourselves to others and we better accept our lives as they are. The second concerns the management of emotions: as they age, many people pay more attention to the positive aspects of their daily lives. This is often accompanied by a reduction in the pressures of middle age—career, finances, young children—leading to a more peaceful period. The midlife slump, therefore, is not inevitable, but a transitional phase.
A scheme that is now being re-examined.
Science, however, has changed this picture. Recent research, notably by Blanchflower and colleagues, has found that this U-shaped trajectory has been disappearing in many countries since the mid-2010s. The reason: the well-being of younger people, particularly young women, has declined significantly, to the point that morale now seems to increase more steadily with age. The central message, however, remains the same: older people report being happier, on average, than younger adults. Other researchers also point out that these trends are statistical averages, which mask a wide diversity of individual trajectories.
Whether we're talking about a U-shaped trajectory or a more linear progression, one thing is clear: getting older doesn't necessarily mean declining morale; quite the opposite. For many, their fifties and beyond are accompanied by a renewed sense of serenity, nurtured by experience, self-acceptance, and clearer priorities. This allows them to approach their forties with a bit more optimism.
