Is 35 really middle aged?

Post Reply New Topic

I notice a lot of people have a fear of turning 30, thinking their youth is over. But I find those that think that way, age the quickest. I never thought 30 was old, and I am now in my mid 30s. I don' t even consider myself middle aged, even if that is so from a technicality. But I just wonder if people view age a certain way the same since- as a society we should have progressed in some way. The days when 35 is thought of as middle aged seems antiquated.

I realize this is anecdotal- but I see so many people who are living so much longer and they just don't seem to be as old as they were. My dad is 81, and he just doesn't seem "old" to me.

People who are in their early 20s think that turning 30 is a life time away, but they are surprised how quickly time passes. I never thought of 30 as old. Anyways, what do y'all think?

I never had a real problem with age until my last bday. I still can't believe my age and having to see it on this site is actually making it worse. I usually don't celebrate my bday anymore and tend to forget my actual age because I really feel in my early 30's. I graduated and started my nursing job in my early 30's so that is when life for me really started and I bought my first home, furnishings and expensive vehicle. I feel like my 30's should have been my 20's and now my 40's should really be my 30's. Since I've put off things like I did, having kids and a family is pretty much out of the question - that's the problem being female and being on a timetable. Now, I would like to find someone for companionship, but it's difficult finding someone like me - never married, no kids, with a career. For me, I think of middle-aged to be somewhere around 50.

I'm 54...and I really, truly, don't feel "middle-aged."

If you've conquered the world, it's probably young. If you're still trying to get your adult life started for real, it's awfully old.

At 35, I still very young -- probably because I was still in my peak fitness years as a cyclist. When I hit 40, though, I'd gained some weight, and had gone downhill a bit.

At 52, I feel way younger than my years, again, because I'm back in extremely good physical shape!

For me, I would say I began to notice I'm aging in my 50s. Physically and mentally stuff just started to lose a bit of its edge around then. My 40s were a great adventure time, doing neat stuff that in my 20s I missed because I was so focused on school and career.

I thought 40 was middle-aged, at least in developed countries where the average life span is around 80. I'm 41 now. Sometimes I think of how weird people will think it is when I'm an old hag with long stringy hair and wrinkles and hair growing out of my nose, going to the store to buy video games or stuffed animals- for myself- while wearing a Donald Duck t-shirt. They will probably think I need to be in a home. In fact I once heard on TV not long about retired seniors where I live who don't want or even need to be in a home who are worried about where to live around here. Scary and depressing.

Maybe I won't look that bad when I'm older, but the other day I glanced at my reflection in a store window and thought my eyes had sunk deep into their sockets and gravity its toll on my whole face.

My mom is in her 60's but doesn't seem old at all to me. But she parks in the senior's space anyway, even though she can walk perfectly well without a cane or a walker. And yet she thinks it's stupid to have pregnancy parking spaces and even parks in them! She'd never park in a handicapped spot though. At least I she doesn't when I'm not with her.

I wonder,though why people confuse middle age with "Old age"? . To me, middle aged should mean one is neither young, nor old. And why do people use it as an insult?

It's been said that "You know that you've reached middle age when you can no longer be arrested for having consensual sex with a person half your age."

In most states, that would put the beginning of "middle age" at 36 years.

The beginning of "Old Age" could then be considered twice that, or 72 years.

But ... it's all just a set of arbitrary numbers ... except for the part where you get arrested ...

I am 37. I consider myself to be middle-aged.

Big fat hairy deal. It takes more time to lose weight and recover from exhaustion, and less time to get tired in the first place. That doesn't really put limits on what I can think, or feel, or even really on what I can do (though it might change the way I have to go about it).

Hey, 70-year-olds have hiked the Appalachian Trail. If I quit smoking and pull out of this death wish and inability to summon up the give-a-shit to get active and take care of myself, that could be me. I wouldn't be setting any land speed records while I did it, and I might want to pack extra arnica gel, shoes with really excellent support, and a frame upon which to elevate my sleeping bag (might even want to "cheat" with nights in hotel rooms when the Trail passes close to a town)...

...but lately I've been telling myself that that fantasy I gave up in my early 20s could just possibly become a goal.

I'm no neurobiologist, but a doctor once told me that brain structure stuff starts changing around 40ish. Maybe any resulting perceived changes in cognition and behaviors has something to do with it.

I feel good for my age especially since I don't drink alcohol or eat meat anymore. I also walk a lot so that helps keep my energy up. In any case I'm a little manic so I guess that also helps me not feel old.

I'm 32 & age isn't something I really think about. In lots of ways I'm mentally younger so I don't really feel old except for the fact I've been losing my hair for 5 years now & some of the hair I do have is turning grey or white.