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Study shows men become grumpiest at age 70

Study shows men become grumpiest at age 70

It seems the phrase “grumpy old men” has some truth to it.

According to a recently released report, the age when grumpiness kicks in for men is approximately age 70.

Researchers believe that from the age of about 50 onward, men have fewer obstacles to deal with in life, resulting in them being more equipped to deal with adversity. But at age 70, it’s all downhill from there.

In the study published in the March issue of Psychology and Aging, 80% of the examined 1,315 men between the ages of 53 and 85 (mostly military veterans who participated in the 15-year survey) said that at age 50, life became easier.

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About 20% agreed that they were happier after retirement.

Shockingly, all of them agreed that their life happiness began to decline at age 70 for reasons including health issues, their decline of cognitive responses and the loss of loved ones, such as a spouse.

“Some older people continue to find sources of happiness late in life, despite dealing with family losses, declining health or a lack of resources,” said Oregon State University gerontology professor and lead author of the report, Carolyn Aldwyn.

She believes, however, that grumpiness is not always a bad thing.

“At least one study found that older men in nursing homes who were grumpy actually lived longer,” said Aldwyn. “The thought is that these individuals could voice their unhappiness with their current situation and perhaps get more attention and perhaps better service than the individuals who suffered quietly,” she added.

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She believes that grumpiness could actually be seen as increasing the stress levels of others, though in terms of the study, she’s not certain that there is a direct correlation.

“Once you turn 70, how you react to dealing with these hassles changes and may be dependent on your resources or your situation in life,” said Aldwyn.

It’s true. Dealing with life’s hassles at age 30 is much different than dealing with them at 70. Age takes it’s toll on our minds as well as our bodies and life becomes certainly more difficult.

Anyone who has dealt with a grumpy elderly man can probably agree that they aren’t the most pleasant people to deal with, and maybe this study can better explain why.

So give that grumpy old neighbor of yours a break. He isn’t just angry that you’re walking all over his front lawn; he just hit 70 and it’s likely his grumpiness has kicked in, full force.

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