Whether on page, stage, or screen, the journey of human health and happiness has often been portrayed as a linear progression from birth to death. This idea was beautifully captured by William Shakespeare in his “seven ages of man” speech. We begin as helpless infants, move through the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence, reach our physical and mental prime, and then gradually decline.
Until recently, scientific research seemed to support this view. For many aspects of our abilities, it appeared that we reached our peak before midlife. However, it is now becoming clear that this perspective is much too simplistic. While childhood and adolescence may be periods of rapid development, our brains have the capacity to change and improve throughout our entire lives. In fact, some important cognitive skills continue to develop even in our 50s, 60s, and 70s. “The notion that the brain is fully mature at age 25 is absurd,” says Daniel Romer, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania.
Furthermore, our fitness levels don’t simply follow a curve of increase, peak, and decline. While individuals in their 20s may excel in sprinting, performance in other sports can peak later in life. Additionally, factors such as emotional well-being and mental discipline exhibit unexpected patterns of rise and fall. Despite nostalgic feelings towards youth, studies show that for most of us, our happiest days are still ahead.
By understanding these patterns, we can find better ways to nurture our growth and embrace the opportunities available to us at each stage of life. So, based on scientific evidence, what are the seven stages of our lives? And how can we make the most of each stage?
