Forget your 40s: Life now begins at 60, it turns out – as middle age stretches until 68
US psychologist Walter B Pitkin may have said life begins at 40 – but because the average life expectancy has increased 20 years since he made his famous assertion in 1931, it's arguable the fun now starts when people hit their 60s.
And it turns out those later in life agree: for 64 per cent of those over 65, life has improved since they hit 50, according to new research by insurance services company Cigna.
What's clear is our perception of old age is changing: according tot he research, the majority of people now reckon an "old person" is 68 or over – while those in their seventh decade suggested "old age" begins at 77.
Those over 50 expect at least five more "significant life events" to take place, from divorce to moving house, getting back into education or starting a business.
But although people over 50 represent a third of the population, many still complained they have experienced discrimination. More than a third of over-65s said businesses treat them as "old", while 28 per cent of over-50s said they have lied about their age because they were "frustrated by low expectations of them".
The research chimes with the findings of University of New South Wales researcher Dr Ioana Ramia, who said last month she had found although middle age is the "unhappiest" time of people's lives, people tend to feel better about themselves as they get older.
According to her, life satisfaction "decreases from the early 20s, plateaus for about 40 years and then increases from about 65 up".
So if you're feeling the pressure in middle age, perhaps it's just a question of waiting it out…