The study showed that people aged 60 indicated a greater understanding of the meaning of life than any other age group. The study also shows that search for the meaning of life was also at the lowest point at age 60.
New research that was published in the January-February issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry showed people state life has the most meaning at 60. The research also found that at 60, the search for the meaning of life is at the lowest point.
The research also found out that an increase in the value of the meaning of life leads to an increase in well being of an individual. Dr. Awais Aftab, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego, argued that people with a purpose in life were physically and psychologically healthier.
Research into the meaning of life
The study involved 1,042 adults over the age of 70 years. The study was able to determine that the meaning of life was low at 20 years, and as aging progressed, life became more meaningful for these adults. At age 60, the participants indicated that they felt that life was more meaningful than any other age. Life meaningfulness started declining at age 60. However, on average, the people who took part in the study said they considered their life as having a meaning.
The adults in the study also felt the search for the meaning of life was no longer necessary. The study also indicated that the search for the meaning of life was very high for people aged 20 years. As aging progressed, the search for the meaning of life also declined. The researchers indicated that people at 60 indicated the lowest opinion on the meaning of life. Searching for the meaning of life, however, started to increase after age 60.
Dr. Awais said that people in their 20s and 30s were actively seeking out new adventures of life, such as spouses and new carriers. He continued by saying,
People in their forties and fifties usually have more established careers and relationships; many of them have families and children. The active pursuit for meaning decreases and the perception that their life is meaningful increases. After age 60, these trends begin to reverse. With retirement, bereavement, and increasing health issues, the established sources of meaning in their lives begin to fade and people tend to start searching for other sources of meaning.
Dr. Awais, in an interview with LiveScience, stated that people should not panic based on the research data. He indicated that the data provides varied point points on how people conceptualize life. He said there are variations because the study is based on statistical averages, and individuals can portray variations that might not have been captured by the research. The research, however, provides an insight into how people value life at different stages of their lives.
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