Research on happiest years of life

70? I don't think so. I will be 70 this year and I've never been so miserable. Mind you, DH says I've always been miserable. I liked my 20s and 30s best.

I’m 70 and my dear DH died 5 mths ago so absolutely not my happiest year, what rubbish.

My 40s were best up till now but I'm also enjoying my 60s so far.

My best time was definitely between 32-42 yeats old!!

Worked our socks off, played hard, travelled round Australia with the children, realised we would not have any more babies, moved into our present home, not sure where we found the time to do any of these things but we did and we have the most fabulous memories ??

I dont think I was happier in any particular year ,they all had ups and downs .I did enjoy having a baby and a 10 year old in my mid thirties ,I went back to college and took some exams and still managed to run every day and run a business.
Maybe its having that much energy that makes life great? .Who knows everyone is different .I do know that at almost 65( 4 weeks away) I'm more contented than I was and just grateful really that my OH survived his heart attacks and we've had 8 years we might not have had ...so far .Hoping for a lot more ahead

I was miserable at 15. Unsure of myself and lacking in confidence. Getting a part-time job that I enjoyed helped a lot.

I will be 70 this year and am not looking forward to it.

I remember my DMiL saying it was alright in your 50s, with your 60s to look forward to, but not so good in your 60s, with your 70s to look forward to.
Now I know what she meant

The summer of being 18, exams over, Uni not started and old enough to do what I wanted! Happy memories.

I can't believe 15 & 70 being the happiest years apply to many. Every year brings its own joys and sorrows. My 30's & 40's were my most fulfilling years, got divorced and started a new career path

There's good and bad at all ages and it depends on personal circumstances. For me, I think the best time was at home with small children in my late 20s/early 30s.

Oh no 15 I was so unsure of my self very diffident and shy but I did have good times too going to see all the 60 s groups and finding boys very interesting
70 s no no no it’s the down hill trip I don’t like it at all what on earth made them choose 70s

My happiest years were when I was under eleven. I’m not keen on being a grown-up.

My adult happiest years were my thirties, when I was at home with young children and my parents were still active and healthy. I’m 79 now and I don’t like it at all.

15? Never! Who on earth is happiest at 15?

30's and 40's/early 50's I'd say.

My student days were certainly the happiest for me. I've always been a worrier and those days were full of fun, companionship, freedom and the first time experiencing adult life in a new city. I was poor, but happy.

Going to work and paying bills in my 20s came as a nasty shock. I could happily be an eternal student. I loved research, reading, writing. My 20s, 30s and early 40s seemed like a prison sentence. I carried the family load myself and had a selfish and always angry partner. I felt low and stressed out, and exhausted, almost constantly.. Then divorce and my whole world took on new meaning.

Despite health worries and scares the years since retirement have been very happy, with a lovely partner and grown up children who have done well for themselves and given us grandchildren. I feel happy in my skin these days.so late 50s and 60s have been good for me. (I can still mess things up worrying, mind.)

Perhaps the respondents were looking at 70 through rose tinted spectacles, no ties, still healthy, lots of friends, fairly well off, no mortgage.

I am happy for any gns whose life is like that, but I don’t know anyone whose is.

Plus, people around 70 (also a bit specific) these day seem to have worries and caring responsibilities not only to the 2 generations below, but even to aged parents.

Perhaps the researchers wanted to be 15 again.
I’m not depressed about it, but my happiest years were my 20s and 30s when we had our children.
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It's just different for everyone isn't it ? I don't think you can generalise. I must admit I am happy in my 70s , health not brilliant but I have friends to socialise with, lovely husband
( in the main ) children and grandchildren all grown up and doing well. Enough money to manage but need to budget for luxuries. Life is good.

I was clinically depressed at 15 but it would have been worse if I had known then what was to come.

I hope not to be still around at 70 tbh.

I have always been a glass half full person and a believer in never making a bad situation worse, I can think of times when I was unhappy, like after my sister died, but one recovers.

I find the one constant worry of pre-retirement that goes when you do retire is the worry about income and job security or redundancy. Each month my state pension and occupational pension go into the bank. One can never say anything is always and absolutely safe, but a pension, especially a state pension, is as safe as you can get.

I know that for some retirement brings poverty and worry because their pension is so small. but for many of us we have sufficient to live on and not having to worry whether it might suddenly disappear with our job at the end of the month is a great. That is a great contribution to happiness.

My happiest days were in my 20s, when my children were young. I loved every minute of it, and didn't find it stressful like the modern parents do and never relied on family help. There were not so many 'dos' and 'don'ts' in those days, I just made up the rules as I went along.
I am in my 70s now and have some health issues so would say I am content rather than happy.

30's /40's definitely more going on fAmily life good yes. 60'nextbyear and tired but have to work till 66 if I get there!

My forties were the best. My two girls were both growing up fast, and then along came my (then) sweet little son. Elder daughter passed her driving test at seventeen and I look back on lovely Summer outings, the four of us. Looking back it seems like days full of sunshine.

My seventies were ok until 75. Physically it was like dropping off a cliff then. I live in hope that things might get better though.

15 was a good time for me but not the best! 18 onwards was better! Babies in my 20s was fun, working mum in my 30s busy but took its toll..not so happy... mid 40s - 60 great times ...60 to date wonderful except for the body wear & tear! I'll let you know in a couple of years what 70 is like!!

I'm 70 now and thoroughly enjoying being alone and free to do as I please. However, I enjoyed being a mother and the best and most rewarding years were when I was raising my children.

Mid-twenties for me, just before I met my husband of (now) 39 years; no worries, just having a whale of a time going dancing and to concerts - a real flirty girl. Don't know what happened to her
But nobody could sustain that and what I have now, with lovely kids and grandkids, is obviously the best...

20's and 50's/60's for me.