Rachel Green, a software engineer in Hollywood, Florida, feels middle-aged at just 29 years old.
“I ran out of energy and didn’t want to go out after 10 p.m.,” he said.
Green is not a rare case with this situation. Many people in their 20s and 30s are reaching milestones such as getting married and buying a house later than previous generations. The expectation to do so creates stress and tension for them, making this group feel older. In addition, there are growing concerns about work, debt, inflation, the cost of raising children and caring for elderly parents…
Medically, middle age is often defined as 40-60 years old. However, according to a study by Horizon Media, about 20% of young people aged 25 to 34 feel like they are in middle age. 25-year-old people think that their middle age threshold starts at 37 years old and ends at about 53 years old. On the contrary, people over 65 years old think that middle age is from 46 to 62 years old. However, both groups agree that the signs of aging at this age are skin changes and loss of elasticity; body aches and decreased vision.
Dr Tirrell De Gannes, a clinical psychologist at the Thriving Center of Psychology, said young people feel “older and under pressure a lot sooner”. This center’s survey shows that one in 10 people of the Millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996) experienced a midlife crisis at the age of 34.
“Mentally and emotionally, I feel like I’m 43 years old,” said Alexander Walker-Griffin, 27, a councilman and former mayor of Hercules, California.
Issues like the state budget, housing, student debt and public transportation weighed heavily on him. He avoids club gatherings and often dresses carefully in case someone posts a photo of him on social networks. Griffin said it’s not just him or people in similar positions, his friends in competitive fields like technology are also under pressure to settle down early.
“People were pushed by me to do everything sooner, because there was so much competition for jobs and competition to buy a house,” he said.
Many young people feel aging from the age of 20. Photo: WSJ
Kate Rarey, 24, an event manager in Pittsburgh, said she lacks the experience of middle-aged people, but shares their concerns.
“I worry about retirement, my assets, my house, having children, my future and my life,” Rarey said. She believes that people of her generation have few opportunities to make financial and career mistakes. That makes them feel prematurely aged.
Psychology professor Shevaun Neupert, North Carolina State University, said stress can make young people feel several years older. She and her colleagues found that if people are often stressed at school or work, people aged 18 to 22 will feel that they are 5 years older than their actual age.
Professor Margie Lachman, Brandeis University, said that adults often look 20% younger than their actual age over the years. However, taking care of children and aging parents while still working full-time can make them feel like middle age is coming early.
Since her late 20s, Nicole Kenney has found herself reaching middle age. When she was 30 years old, she suffered from migraines and sleep disorders. At age 41, all of Kenney’s health problems have not improved. She believes the causes are financial stress, work pressure and social expectations.
“The feeling of responsibility, especially for black women, starts much earlier than age 40,” Kenney says.
In the old age group, the situation is opposite. According to Horizon research, more than 10% of adults aged 65 and older feel they are still middle-aged. Marc Sigal and his wife, Amy Goldstein, feel younger in body and appearance than their 72 years. Both are retired attorneys in Ohio. The couple works out three times a week, travels extensively, socializes with people in their 30s and 40s, and dresses youthfully.
“People think we’re in our late 50s,” Sigal said.