At what age do we feel happiest? The answer may surprise you

The pursuit of happiness is a universal quest. Many of us feel that everyday life is only as good as its moments of bliss – and those moments are the fuel that keeps us going, day after day. Happiness, it seems, is an essential ingredient for living a good life.

Unfortunately, many of us feel that happiness is elusive or fleeting. Or, worse, that our happiest days are already behind us, never to come again. However, recent research shows that most people experience a steady rise in happiness as they grow older. The research also found that there is even a specific era of our lives when we feel the happiest and most confident. Not only are the findings surprising – they’re also encouraging.

To answer this question, a team of German and Swiss researchers conducted a study involving over 460,000 participants from different countries and cultures. “We focused on the evolution of three essential components of subjective well-being – satisfaction with life, positive emotional states, and negative emotional states,” explains Susanne Bücker, first author of the study.

After analysing the results, the researchers found that there’s a certain age when people are happiest: 70. They also found that happiness across lifespan exists on a spectrum of valleys and peaks over time: Satisfaction with life declines between ages nine and 16, rises to reach its peak at age 70, then declines again until age 96 (the oldest age recorded in the study).

“Overall, the study shows a positive trend over a large period of life, if we consider life satisfaction and negative emotional states,” says Bücker, who notes that by the age of 70, most people are less preoccupied with career and material matters, and have more time for themselves and their loved ones. Plus, these wiser septuagenarians feel that the most difficult and stressful experiences in life are behind them, while a sense of accomplishment helps lessen daily anxiety.

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That said, not all scientists agree on the precise age at which we feel happiest. For the London School of Economics, 23 is the age at which happiness is at its peak, as young people are often the most optimistic and confident about the future. According to researchers at Harvard, the age of 35 is the happiest, as that’s when most of us begin to stabilise our lives, reach professional heights, and have stronger social ties – all of which contribute to our sense of total fulfillment.

23, 35, 70... In the end, there’s no single definitive answer. Just as there’s no single definition of “happiness” for everyone, the state depends on the outlook we wish to associate with it. In any case, most scientists agree that happiness must be cultivated in every gesture of daily life. As the writer Georges Perec might say, it’s found in the infraordinary – the humdrum, nonevent occurrences of everyday life.

Likewise, there is also not a single most “difficult” age for human beings – at least according to researchers. Some psychologists say that adolescence (ages 13-18) is the toughest period, as it is often marked by emotional turmoil due to hormonal changes, the process of self-discovery, and social pressure. Researchers at Princeton University, on the other hand, believe that it’s between the ages of 45 and 48 that people experience the most stress, due to career, financial difficulties, and the infamous mid-life crisis.

However, every life, career, and emotional path is unique. The only given is that everyone will inevitably experience highs and lows at different points throughout their lives. The most important thing is that we make our wellbeing a priority, discover the lessons that lead to growth, and do our best to stay present – no matter how challenging or exuberant each moment of the journey.