THEY say that life begins at 40. If that is true, then I have four and half more years coddled up in the womb of young adulthood before I am born into the cold harshness of ‘middle age’. WE tend not to think too highly of ‘middle age’, and we all know someone who has gone through the dreaded ‘midlife crisis’. About a quarter of adults aged over 40 say that they have had one and the story usually goes something like this: a 40- or 50-something man splashes his life savings on a flashy sportscar or noisy motorbike, starts a rock band, and/or quits his job to swan off with a younger woman. What on Earth could possibly possess so many responsible grown-ups to show such reckless abandon?
The idea of the ‘midlife crisis’ is a fairly new one, and originally had nothing to do with balding men turning into Jeremy Clarkson-like monsters. Rather, it was a term dreamt up in the 1960s by a psychologist who had a weird theory that ‘geniuses’ of old (like the composers Mozart and Chopin) suffered a creative ‘crisis’ in their 30s which stopped them from crafting any more masterpieces. American TV and pop culture later seized on the idea of the ‘midlife crisis’ to explain away impulsive middle-aged men. Many scientists, however, remain unconvinced that the midlife crisis is even real.
Let’s imagine a slightly overweight man, who has been married for 20 years and has two children and a well-paid job. He suddenly leaves his stable career and runs off to have an affair with a woman in her 20s. If that man was 49 we would almost certainly say he was having a midlife crisis. But if we learnt that he was actually 29 then we would simply label him as irresponsible.
The problem with the very idea of a ‘midlife crisis’ is that we all make unexpected decisions at every stage of life – and research shows that people in their 40s and 50s are no more impulsive than at any other age.
It is nevertheless hard to deny that being middle-age can be a challenging time. Research shows that, on average, we are at our happiest as a child and young adult. Thereafter, life satisfaction steadily slopes off, reaching a gloomy low between the ages of 44 and 46. Perhaps the psychological slump is caused by the stresses of climbing the career ladder, the financial pressures of having teenage children or the emotional burden of ageing parents. Most psychologists agree that our 40s and 50s are a time for taking stock of life. We realise that our life is temporary, that we are losing our youthful vitality, and that we may not accomplish all our hopes and dreams. It may also be something in our biology, because even apes and chimpanzees seem to go through midlife sadness!
Depression is an ever-present danger throughout our life and so it is wise for all of us to keep a close check on our mental wellbeing. We should ask ourselves questions such as: Am I losing sleep over worry? Am I losing confidence or do I feel I cannot overcome my difficulties? Am I feeling unhappy or worthless? If the answer is yes, then it is important to chat with someone or seek help. For overcoming gloominess in adulthood, there is good evidence to show that ‘purposeful’ activities can help. Building something, fixing something, or going on a planned hike can each help combat the uncertainties about life that can play on the mind.
There is, however, a bitter irony to midlife woes. People in their 30s and 40s might think that life is all downhill, but the opposite is true. After passing through the unhappy valley of the mid-40s, our overall sense of wellbeing and life satisfaction start to increase. With the passing years, we develop emotional maturity and become more at peace with our place in the world. 
We realise that happiness and contentment have little to do with the trappings of wealth, possessions and status. Eventually we tend to be as happy and fulfilled as we were when a child. So for anyone who is considering re-mortgaging the house for a racehorse, just remember that things can only get better.