We are never happier than at the ages of 23 and 69, new research has claimed.
A study by the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics has revealed that the ages are the peak years for feeling content and satisfied.
The research found that those in their early twenties were hopeful about the future, before expectations and satisfaction dropped in the middle ages.
Then, when people hit their late sixties, they found contentment once again as they began to experience 'less regret'.
Hannes Schwandt, 30, of Princeton University, carried out the research, which is due to be published this week, the Sunday Times reports.
He studied happiness results for 23,161 individuals aged between 17 and 85.
They revealed that satisfaction is highest at the ages of 23 and 69, dips during the mid-fifties and drops further still after 75.
He said: 'People in their fifties could learn a little from the elderly, who generally feel less regret. They should try not to be frustrated with their unmet expectations because they are probably not feeling much worse than their peers.'
Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger is 69 - but turns 70 later this week - and actress Emma Watson is 23.
Schwandt's paper - which was based on German data - also found that those in their twenties overestimate their future happiness by around 10 per cent, while those aged 68 underestimate it by 4.5 per cent.
After we hit 30 our expectations drop, and continue to decline after the age of 55 - but general wellbeing rises.
This suggests we learn how to manage disappointment.
Scwandt said that the 'optimism of youth' was a good thing and not something we should change, but he added that 23 year olds should be aware that 'things will not seem as good in midlife'.
Earlier this year experts discovered that all people become happier with age, those who were born during periods of hardship reported a lesser sense of life satisfaction than those born in times of peace and prosperity.
In the past, good psychological health has been linked to many life factors including career, relationships and even health.
Psychological scientist Angelina Sutin, of Florida State University College of Medicine, conducted the study while at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
She and colleagues predicted that people in the same 'birth cohort' - born around the same time - may have had unique experiences that shape the way they evaluate happiness and optimism.
Using two large-scale studies - one from NIH’s Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging and the other from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey - researchers looked at data from several thousand people over 30 years, including over 10,000 reports on happiness, health, and other factors.
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