Is happiness really tied to a single age, or is the story more about connection?
A sweeping question about when we are happiest has been rattling researchers for decades: is there a specific age at which life feels brightest? The latest analysis suggests the old “U-shaped” model, where happiness peaks in youth, dips in midlife, and rises again in later years, may not hold true for everyone. New findings point to a more nuanced picture in which the central driver of well-being is less about age and more about social connection, meaning in daily life, and how people choose to spend their emotional energy. For readers in Thailand, where family ties, community, and spiritual practice shape daily life, the implications may be especially resonant: happiness could hinge less on a calendar and more on how we stay connected and purposeful across stages of life.