Why People Over 50 Say Ages 30–34 Were Their Most Fulfilling Years

I remember hearing my school years described as “the best of my life” by adults as a teen and thinking, “surely not”. Since then, my doubts have proven warranted: I reckon my life’s gotten better every year since about 22. 

A new paper, which asked older European adults to list the best years of their life, supports that further.

Looking at data from adults aged 50+ across 13 countries, the researchers found that after reflecting on their lives, participants said their “subjective well-being” (SWB) peaked at 30-34.