Finally an answer to when 'middle age' begins

03 January, 2013

Since a specific age had not been defined yet as the beginning of middle age, the UK's Department of Work and Pensions has ventured to define it - and their precise numerical interpretation based on a survey is that middle age, on an average, begins at 40 years, 8 months and 2 weeks.

THE AGE limit is defined separately for genders. It is said that men become middle aged at the age of 38 years and 6 months, while women are not in a hurry to become middle aged - and so the cut-off for them is 42 years and 9 months. And the same scenario continues for those entering 'old age'. For men, old age starts at 58 years whereas for women it begins at 60 years, 4 months and 2 weeks.

Age has nothing to do with the numbers, it's just a situation. But society has fixed an age range and has designated stages in life as infant, childhood, youth, middle age and old age. But many of us dislike the term 'middle age.' Initially, they get depressed and finally accept the truth. This happens because we are told many negative things about middle age. So, one should overcome this dilemma.

Middle age is a point in your life when you start looking at the future in terms of your potential and your limitations. It is basically a shift, and at this stage you come to know that you have enough experience now. But still it's a matter of perspective, and all we have to do is to change our perspective.

The Department for Work and Pensions said, "The disparity in perceptions" showed "the potential for age stereotypes to be applied in very inconsistent ways", reported Zee News.

Finally, the survey which had 2,171 participants who were aged sixteen years and above, concluded that there is a significant age discrimination among the younger generation, and it also shows that the older you grow, the later you think old age begins.