What if happiness isn’t just a fleeting feeling, but something you actually grow into?
A new large-scale study has pinpointed the exact age when people hit their “peak happiness,” along with the reasoning behind it, according to experts.
While the research focused mainly on participants in the United Kingdom, the findings tap into a much broader, universal experience, suggesting that true contentment may arrive later in life than many expect.
Highlights
- A new large-scale study has pinpointed when people feel their happiest, linking it to stronger self-acceptance, clearer boundaries, and a better sense of life balance.
- However, not everyone agrees, sparking a debate over whether happiness can really be tied to a specific stage of life.
- From everyday individuals to celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and Kate Winslet, it has sparked a broader conversation about aging and what it truly means to thrive.
A new survey has revealed the age at which people achieve maximum happiness, challenging previous claims
Image credits: Kampus Production/pexels
Peak happiness is the point in a person’s life when their emotional well-being and overall life satisfaction reach their highest measurable level.
Essentially, people are considered “peak happy” when their aspirations align with their reality, and they feel satisfied with their lives.
Over the years, several studies have attempted to determine the age at which people achieve maximum happiness, along with the scientific reasoning behind it.
Image credits: kourtneykardash
Now, according to a study conducted by TePe, a Swedish company specializing in high-quality oral hygiene products, and cited by the Daily Mail, age 47 represents a “midlife peak” of happiness.
This finding is based on a mix of factors, including increased self-acceptance, improved life balance, and stronger personal boundaries.
According to TePe’s Head of Clinical Education and Dental Therapist, Miranda Pascucci, “As people get older, many begin to realise that health isn't just about what's visible.”
Image credits: j_corden
Miranda added, “It's about how you feel and how well your body functions.”
The study surveyed 2,000 participants in the United Kingdom about their views on the age at which people achieve peak happiness.
According to the results, many people in their late 40s reported being at their happiest.
About 35% of respondents said they care less about pleasing others and more about their own well-being.
The research findings were based on a survey of over 2,000 participants in the United Kingdom, with the majority sharing similar views
Image credits: Ariel Paredes/pexels
Many participants also reported feeling more comfortable in their own skin and better able to remove toxic influences from their lives.
Those in their 40s often stop stressing about the “little things” that worried them in their 20s and 30s, significantly reducing overall stress levels.
Nearly 47% of participants also reported prioritizing their health and, as a result, felt their lifestyle and well-being were improving in their late 40s.
Image credits: katewinslet_ / reesewitherspoon
Many said they were more likely to choose healthier food options and cut back on drinking habits from their younger years, leading to noticeable improvements in overall life satisfaction.
About 26% revealed that having children and grandchildren at that stage in life helped them stay happy and active.
The findings also align with similar sentiments shared online. For instance, TikToker @tammy.stylist said, “40s hits you massively. Everyone sees it as such a bad thing, but I feel like my 40s has been so much better than my 30s.”
Image credits: gwynethpaltrow
“I know who I am. I've got boundaries in place. I've got rid of all the bad apples.”
Similarly, @self_care_with_emma shared, “I think our 40s are maybe our best years.”
She added, “We start to feel comfortable in our own skins, we don't stress about the little things that used to worry us sick and we don't care what other people think.”
According to expert Miranda Pascucci, “It's about how you feel and how well your body functions”
Image credits: zoesaldana
However, this new study finding challenges previous claims that 47, or 47.2, to be exact, is the age at which people hit peak unhappiness.
According to research by economist David Blanchflower of Dartmouth College, human well-being follows a U-shaped “happiness curve,” where life satisfaction starts high in youth, reaches a low point in the late 40s, and then begins to rise again with age.
The low point around age 47 often involves high levels of pressure, such as managing demanding careers, raising children, and caring for aging parents simultaneously.
Image credits: tammy.stylist
Researchers suggest this is when the gap between the life we planned and our actual reality is widest, leading to feelings of regret.
This perspective was echoed by many netizens, who disagreed with 47 being the “peak happiness” age of life.
One user wrote, “Trust me 47 was NOT the happiest year of my life. I have never had the best year of my life and I'm 63 now.”
Another said, “I was the happiest when I was 18-21. Now that i’m about to hit my 30’s I feel old, passed it, and past my sell by date. I can’t even imagine what it must be like at 47.”
“Perimenopause hits most women at that age and trust me, we’re not happy with that lol,” a third pointed out.
Others sarcastically expressed, “I'm 47. Parents have d*ed, financial stress, upcoming hernia surgery. Yeah, it's going great.”
The latest findings seem to ring true even for A-list celebrities, including Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet, and others
Image credits: fayepoulton_
“No matter what your age it depends on what's going on in your life. To say 47, or any age for that matter is idiotic.”
While the findings may not have impressed the internet, modern celebrity culture suggests otherwise.
In recent times, many celebrities are not just thriving in their late 40s but are increasingly seen as reaching their commercial and creative peak during this period.
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Many stars use their late 40s to transition from being “talent” to becoming business moguls, such as Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow, who built massive lifestyle and production empires during this stage in their lives.
Other stars, like Kate Winslet, have publicly stated they feel “happier and s*xier” in their 40s, advocating for roles that embrace maturity rather than trying to hide it.
The same goes for Kourtney Kardashian and James Corden, both of whom have recently made major life and career changes that align with the study’s findings.
Fans and media outlets have noted that Kourtney is a “perfect example” of hitting a peak in her 40s. After years of a turbulent relationship with Scott Disick, she married Travis Barker and welcomed a new baby in her 40s.
Meanwhile, Corden, after nearly a decade of massive success hosting The Late Late Show with James Corden in the U.S., made the deliberate choice to leave the show and move back to the United Kingdom to spend more time with his wife and children.
Netizens react as experts reveal the science behind the “peak happiness” age
