The term middle age refers to an age period before the start of old age but after or beyond young adulthood.
DEFINITIONS.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines middle age as the age between 45 and 65. "The period between old age and early adulthood, normally considered as the years between 45 and 65." The census of the US lists the middle age category from 45 to 65. Erik Erikson, a prominent psychologist, lists the middle age from 40 years to 65 years. According to him, middle age starts a little bit earlier. Merriam-Webster on the other hand, lists middle age to start from 45 and end at 64. According to the Collins English Dictionary, the list starts at the age of 40 and ends at the age of 60. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders- the American Psychiatric Association's manual, used to define middle age as the age between the years 40 and 60, but this was revised and the current definition is that of between 45 to 65 years.
YOUNG ADULTHOOD.
This refers to that time in the lifespan of a person that is considered to be the developmental stage of those between the age of 18 years and 40 years. Recent theories of development have explained that development occurs throughout the life of a person as they experience changes in personality, cognitively, socially and physically.
MIDDLE ADULTHOOD.
This refers to that period in the lifespan of a person that is between the age of 45 years and 65 years. It can also be referred to as the middle age. A lot of changes may take place between the stage of young adulthood and this stage of middle adulthood. There is a possibility of the body slowing down as well as those in the middle age stage becoming more sensitive to diet, rest, substance abuse and stress. Chronic health problems along with disability and disease can become an issue. An approximate of a height of one centimeter may be lost every decade. Emotional retrospection and responses vary from one person to another. Experiencing loss, sadness or a sense of mortality is common at this age.
Those in middle age or middle adulthood continue developing relationships and adapt to the changes in relationships. These changes can be the interacting with aging parents and with growing and grown children. Continued career development as well as well as community involvement is fairly typical at this adulthood stage.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Signs of aging may be visible in middle-aged adults. In women who have osteoporosis, this process is more rapid. Changes may also occur in the nervous system. The complex tasks' performing abilities remain intact. Menopause occurs in women around the age of 50 years, which ends their natural fertility. In men, changes can occur on the skin, a decline in the physical fitness among many more.
The mortality rate starts to increase from the age of 45 onwards. This is mainly as a result of health problems like diabetes, heart problems, hypertension and cancer.
COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS.
Persons in the middle age or middle adulthood may have some cognitive loss. The loss remains unnoticeable since life experiences as well as strategies are developed for purposes of compensating for any mental abilities' decrease.
SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS.
Family relationships may be difficult at this stage but marital satisfaction remains. Career satisfaction on the other hand, is more focused on the inner satisfaction as well as contentedness, rather than on the desire to advance. It is important to note that even so, the change of careers may occur. The thought that those people in this stage undergo a "mid-life" crisis is false. Personality characteristics are said to remain stable all through this period.
