What exactly is middle age? Is it when you hit 40 or 50 or 60? According to one study, the average person believes youth ends at 35 and old age begins at 58. Therefore, the years in between -- all 23 of them -- constitute middle age. Thirty-five is middle age? Ouch!
We believe middle age is no longer a numerical milestone -- but rather a state of mind. Some people, at 50, feel younger than they did at 35. Or maybe they don't. Others, at 60, may be a lot more active than they were at 45. Or maybe they aren't. The point is, everyone is different.
In the end, perhaps the best indicator of middle age's onset is the intangible evidence of a new kind of mindset. Do you worry more about your health? Do you forget people's names? Do you groan and moan more? Then you might be in the midst of middle age.
We asked our Facebook fans what they believe to be the signs of middle age. And here's what they had to say. Do you agree? Let us know in comments.
1. Reading on your phone becomes difficult because the font is suddenly too tiny and blurry.
2. Hair starts appearing everywhere -- on your nose, face, ears.
3. You go to bed by 8 p.m. and fall asleep by 9 p.m.
4. You start worrying -- a lot -- about your looks.
5. You hit from the white tees instead of the black tees on the golf course.
6. You experience body aches and pains.
7. The shed or basement becomes your favorite place.
8. You begin thinking policemen/teachers/doctors look really young.
9. You are obsessed with your health.
10. You begin looking over the top of your glasses.
11. You start enjoying naps more than ever.
12. You start sounding and acting like your mother or father.
13. You realize there really are two sides to every story.
14. You find yourself saying "what?" and "huh?" all the time.
15. You find it a lot harder to lose weight. A whole lot harder.
16. You no longer worry about what other people think of you... you feel comfortable in your own skin.
17. Music videos and TV shows suddenly look extremely racy.
18. You don't know any of the songs playing on the radio.
19. Gardening becomes an obsession.
20. You develop "little leaks."
21. Everything on your body seems to be heading south.
22. You groan every time you bend over.
23. You prefer an early Sunday morning walk to sleeping late.
24. You have no idea what "young people" are talking about.
25. You misplace your keys -- and just about everything else too.