Friday, 31 Oct 2025
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA
logo logo
  • World
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Tech & Science
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Education
    • Celebrities
    • Culture and Arts
    • Environment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Lifestyle
  • đŸ”„
  • Trump
  • VIDEO
  • House
  • White
  • ScienceAlert
  • Trumps
  • Watch
  • man
  • Health
  • Season
Font ResizerAa
American FocusAmerican Focus
Search
  • World
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Tech & Science
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Education
    • Celebrities
    • Culture and Arts
    • Environment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Lifestyle
Follow US
© 2024 americanfocus.online – All Rights Reserved.
American Focus > Blog > Tech and Science > Your happiness in life may not be U-shaped – here’s how it could vary
Tech and Science

Your happiness in life may not be U-shaped – here’s how it could vary

Last updated: October 3, 2025 11:19 am
Share
Your happiness in life may not be U-shaped – here’s how it could vary
SHARE

Mind

A study from Germany challenges the notion that happiness is highest at the start and end of life, presenting a far more sobering perspective for our later years.

By Chris Stokel-Walker

Our happiness levels are not constant throughout our lives

Ippei & Janine Photography/Getty Images

The well-known assertion that happiness exhibits a U-shaped pattern, peaking at the beginning and end of life, might not be accurate after all.

This idea gained traction following a pivotal study conducted by researchers David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald in 2008, based on a survey involving half a million individuals. This concept has since been widely accepted and has been featured in popular literature.

However, researchers Fabian Kratz and Josef Brüderl from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich propose that this understanding could be flawed.

Motivated by his own observations concerning older adults, Kratz set out to reassess this theory. The researchers analyzed self-reported happiness data collected from 70,922 participants involved in Germany’s annual socio-economic panel survey spanning from 1984 to 2017. Their analysis revealed a trend wherein happiness typically declines throughout adulthood until individuals reach their late 50s; thereafter, it begins to rise again until around age 64, only to drop significantly afterward.

Kratz believes previous findings might have been mischaracterized by simplifying the happiness trajectory and neglecting the impact of deaths from suicide or health issues. He states, “The impression arises that after a certain age, happiness merely increases because the unhappy individuals are no longer alive.”

Julia Rohrer from the University of Leipzig highlights that there has been extensive discourse regarding non-replicable research findings in social sciences, which vanish when new data comes to light. “A less recognized issue,” she notes, “is that researchers sometimes examine their data in systematically flawed manners. This can yield results that replicate consistently but are still misleading.”

See also  Watch Out For These Antivirus Scams to Stay Safe

Experts indicate that this study raises fresh inquiries. Philip Cohen from the University of Maryland notes, “This paper is excellent for considering what we genuinely seek in research,” suggesting an investigation into the reasons behind the fluctuation of happiness over a lifetime and the possibility of mitigating these lows. Both Kratz and Brüderl remain cautious about delving into the reasons behind their observations.

Oswald finds the study’s results intriguing and emphasizes that all research deserves consideration, yet he argues that the researchers did not account for variables that could affect happiness, such as marital status and income.

He also mentions that the research is limited to a single country, leaving questions about the applicability of these results globally. Kratz acknowledges this presents an exciting opportunity for further studies, especially since these findings could influence public policy. He states, “While previous scholars advocated for affirmative action policies to assist individuals facing midlife crises, our results indicate that the more pressing issue may be the decline in happiness in older age.”

If you require support, contact the UK Samaritans at 116123 (samaritans.org) or the US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (988lifeline.org). For additional services, visit bit.ly/SuicideHelplines for resources in other countries.

TAGGED:HappinessHeresLifeUshapedVary
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article ‘St. Denis Medical’ Season 2 Casts Kristen Schaal, Lauren Weedman, Frankie Quiñones, Lauren Lapkus, Tim Baltz, Jeremiah Brown, Jonah Beckett in Guest Roles (EXCLUSIVE) ‘St. Denis Medical’ Season 2 Casts Kristen Schaal, Lauren Weedman, Frankie Quiñones, Lauren Lapkus, Tim Baltz, Jeremiah Brown, Jonah Beckett in Guest Roles (EXCLUSIVE)
Next Article Tyrese Booked for Cruelty to Animals After Neighbor's Dog Mauled to Death Tyrese Booked for Cruelty to Animals After Neighbor's Dog Mauled to Death
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Posts

Psychic Uri Geller Tells Donald Trump To Smash The Threat Of Tehran In Letter

Uri Geller Urges Donald Trump to Take Action Against Iran Renowned psychic Uri Geller has…

November 15, 2024

NZ Navy ship sinks off Samoa

The Commissioner of the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority has confirmed that the NZ…

October 5, 2024

Democrat Strategist Stunned by Trump’s Success in the Middle East: ‘It’s Historic And He Deserves All The Credit’ (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

The Daily Caller has reported the following: On the latest episode of "The Morning Meeting,"…

October 14, 2025

WATCH: MSNBC Quickly Cuts Away From Trump as He Begins Reading Deported MS-13 Gangster Kilmar Garcia’s Lengthy Rap Sheet |

MSNBC Abruptly Cuts Away from Trump as He Unfolds the Criminal Record of Deported MS-13…

April 18, 2025

Nick Wright shares story of Jalen Hurts’ mother questioning him prior to Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win

Jalen Hurts Leads Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl Victory In a stunning turn of events,…

February 17, 2025

You Might Also Like

Your flight emissions are way higher than carbon calculators suggest
Tech and Science

Your flight emissions are way higher than carbon calculators suggest

October 31, 2025
USB-C Chargers: How to Choose the Best One
Tech and Science

USB-C Chargers: How to Choose the Best One

October 31, 2025
Teen victim tied to Washington Square Park drug bust ID’d as recent grad who moved to NYC to start new life, internship
Crime

Teen victim tied to Washington Square Park drug bust ID’d as recent grad who moved to NYC to start new life, internship

October 31, 2025
Physicists Just Ruled Out The Universe Being a Simulation : ScienceAlert
Tech and Science

Physicists Just Ruled Out The Universe Being a Simulation : ScienceAlert

October 31, 2025
logo logo
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


Explore global affairs, political insights, and linguistic origins. Stay informed with our comprehensive coverage of world news, politics, and Lifestyle.

Top Categories
  • Crime
  • Environment
  • Sports
  • Tech and Science
Usefull Links
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA

© 2024 americanfocus.online –  All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?