Middle age is generally defined as the period of adulthood between about 40 to 60 or 65 years old. The exact age range varies slightly depending on sources, but it typically spans from around 40 or 45 up to 60 or 65 years of age
. Key points about middle age include:
- It immediately precedes old age and involves physiological and psychological changes such as gradual decline in physical abilities and awareness of mortality
- Women typically enter middle age around 40, with menopause occurring between 45 and 55, marking the end of natural fertility
- Middle age can be subdivided into early middle age (roughly 35–44) and late middle age (45–64)
- Socially and psychologically, middle age is a time of reflection, generativity (concern for future generations), and often career and family transitions
- Some research and surveys suggest middle age may start later, around 55, and extend into the late 60s, reflecting changes in life expectancy and attitudes toward aging
In summary, middle age is commonly considered to begin in the early 40s and last until the early to mid-60s, though perceptions of its start and end can vary culturally and individually.
