Study says 37 is now considered middle-aged. Here’s how that feels

Men’s Health declared recently that by 37 you are no longer young. Sorry. The research comes from a study that pegged average life expectancy in the US for men at 76 years old.

“The Great Middle Age Survey” surveyed 530 men who are exactly 37-years-old and based in the US. It asked them how they felt about their lives, focusing on everything including health and fitness, money and careers, general happiness, and beyond.

Before you start to panic about your own life and career goals, take a moment to see how 37-year-olds described their state of being.

How men feel about their lives right now

For the most part, everything is going smoothly.

In fact, 57% of men said they felt pretty good about being 37 despite it being the middle stage of their life. Twenty-one percent offered even more enthusiasm by responding they felt great; maybe 30 is the new 20?

However, that wasn’t the case for everyone. One in four participants said they felt they were on the cusp of a midlife crisis, which is expected since it’s in the middle stages of your life.

Men are healthier but not hitting fitness goals

Participants said they generally felt healthier being 37-year-olds compared to their 20-something lives, but the majority said they haven’t been able to reach their fitness goals. There is one caveat: Men making at least $100,000 or more said they were happily fit, so maybe money does solve all problems?

Of course, fitness starts with diet and setting up a healthy framework in your mind. Exercise alone won’t help you lose weight, but finding the right diet could put you on a path to getting the body you want.

Happy days ahead — but not for all

Just because middle age is 37 doesn’t mean your life isn’t going to get better.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents were more optimistic about the future, saying that their best days were ahead of them and not behind them. Fitness played a roll in how people perceived their lives; 45% of men that said they were worried about their fitness, held on to a bit of nostalgia, and pined for the days of their past.

For those with families, their happiness remained murky: 43% of men said they were unhappy with their family life despite divorce rates hitting a record low in 2019.

Work and money are still worrisome

There’s research to back that money can buy you happiness, but financial stability remains out-of-reach for the majority of respondents.

Sixty-one percent of men said they were not as financially strong as they had hoped to be when they reached middle age. Perhaps it’s worth asking your boss for that raise you’ve been putting off for a while during the pandemic?

In addition, more than 50% said they weren’t satisfied at work, but remember: you’re never too old to think about a career change.