People Hit Their Functional Peak at 60 (1 Viewer)

[Sand]

Study Finds.

My first reaction is to flip off all the Gen Zs. My second reaction is to shake my head - no way I'm better now than at 35.

Looking through the categories:

Cognitive intelligence​

Personality​

Emotional intelligence​

Financial literacy​

Moral reasoning​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance​

Cognitive flexibility​

Cognitive empathy​

Need for cognition​

Interesting list, but other than financial literacy I can't think of another of these that I'm better at 55 than 35. Anyone really think they're better in their fifties or sixties than at 35 (probably my peak)?

Full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000649?via=ihub

 

[Ilov80s]

Study Finds.

My first reaction is to flip off all the Gen Zs. My second reaction is to shake my head - no way I'm better now than at 35.

Looking through the categories:

Cognitive intelligence​

Personality​

Emotional intelligence​

Financial literacy​

Moral reasoning​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance​

Cognitive flexibility​

Cognitive empathy​

Need for cognition​

Interesting list, but other than financial literacy I can't think of another of these that I'm better at 55 than 35. Anyone really think they're better in their fifties or sixties than at 35 (probably my peak)?

Full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000649?via=ihub

Haven’t made it that far but at 43, I’m better at those than when I was 35.

 

[Judge Smails]

My personality might be better since I found gummies. That’s about it

 

[BassNBrew]

Study Finds.

My first reaction is to flip off all the Gen Zs. My second reaction is to shake my head - no way I'm better now than at 35.

Looking through the categories:

Cognitive intelligence​

Personality​

Emotional intelligence​

Financial literacy​

Moral reasoning​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance​

Cognitive flexibility​

Cognitive empathy​

Need for cognition​

Interesting list, but other than financial literacy I can't think of another of these that I'm better at 55 than 35. Anyone really think they're better in their fifties or sixties than at 35 (probably my peak)?

Full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000649?via=ihub

Based on the timing of FBGs timeouts I've served and the recent utter domination in Velogames Fantasy Sixes, I'm way better now than at 35.

 

[Zow]

Study Finds.

My first reaction is to flip off all the Gen Zs. My second reaction is to shake my head - no way I'm better now than at 35.

Looking through the categories:

Cognitive intelligence​

Personality​

Emotional intelligence​

Financial literacy​

Moral reasoning​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance​

Cognitive flexibility​

Cognitive empathy​

Need for cognition​

Interesting list, but other than financial literacy I can't think of another of these that I'm better at 55 than 35. Anyone really think they're better in their fifties or sixties than at 35 (probably my peak)?

Full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000649?via=ihub

Haven’t made it that far but at 43, I’m better at those than when I was 35.

Me too - particularly the emotional intelligence part.

 

[Eephus]

Still over the hill

 

[fruity pebbles]

I feel like they came up with a bunch of categories that favor age

 

[Northern Voice]

Shouldn't there be some sort of physical component to peak function?

 

[El Floppo]

I peaked at 13.

60?

 

[dutch]

58 and I'm tired, the youngins can have what they want.

 

[TripItUp]

Testosterone treatments make this possible.

 

[Max Power]

Testosterone treatments make this possible.

I've been thinking about checking this out. I hear a lot of good things, but I've also heard coming off TRT is extra hard on testosterone levels.

 

[-OZ-]

Personally, at 49, compared to 35:

Cognitive intelligence =​

Personality = ​

Emotional intelligence +​

Financial literacy ++​

Moral reasoning =​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance =​

Cognitive flexibility -​

Cognitive empathy =​

Need for cognition -​

So, lesser in two, higher in two. Rest are equal. But I haven’t hit 50 yet. I can certainly improve but I doubt the next 16 years brings much improvement in these areas.

My in laws are in their upper 60s. They’re in decent health but definitely not their peak physically. Mentally and emotionally they’re probably close to their peak.

 

[-OZ-]

I feel like they came up with a bunch of categories that favor age

Shouldn't there be some sort of physical component to peak function?

The headline is misleading. But sure, our mental faculties could peak after retirement.

 

[beer 30]

Study Finds.

My first reaction is to flip off all the Gen Zs. My second reaction is to shake my head - no way I'm better now than at 35.

Looking through the categories:

Cognitive intelligence​

Personality​

Emotional intelligence​

Financial literacy​

Moral reasoning​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance​

Cognitive flexibility​

Cognitive empathy​

Need for cognition​

Interesting list, but other than financial literacy I can't think of another of these that I'm better at 55 than 35. Anyone really think they're better in their fifties or sixties than at 35 (probably my peak)?

Full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000649?via=ihub

Oddly enough, I'd tend to agree with the study. Cognitively I'm 100% more mature than I was half my life ago but then I'd kind of hope that was the case, no? You're supposed to mature as you grow older which is what this thing is saying to me. Physically, not even close, which sucks but cognitively, yeah I'd agree I'm better in the categories listed above now as opposed to then*.

* - For context, I was a ****ing dolt at 35 so we're not talking a heavy lift but still if you are looking at when you were 35 and then almost double it, I'd expect the better results in the categories listed just from shear life experience.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

I'm probably an entire different species at 47 than I was at 35. My knuckles didn't stop dragging until i was closer to 45. By 60 I might actually be standing fully erect.










Not that kind of erect, but hopefully that too well after 60.

 

[-OZ-]

I'm probably an entire different species at 47 than I was at 35. My knuckles didn't stop dragging until i was closer to 45. By 60 I might actually be standing fully erect.










Not that kind of erect, but hopefully that too well after 60.

They make pills for that.

 

[arrow1]

I'm probably an entire different species at 47 than I was at 35. My knuckles didn't stop dragging until i was closer to 45. By 60 I might actually be standing fully erect.










Not that kind of erect, but hopefully that too well after 60.

you can hope

 

[urbanhack]

HELL YEA!!!

 

[dickey moe]

My **** is 45 but my balls are 60.

 

[-fish-]

Functional peak? I gave up years ago.

 

[heckmanm]

Testosterone treatments make this possible.

I've been thinking about checking this out. I hear a lot of good things, but I've also heard coming off TRT is extra hard on testosterone levels.

They make pills for that, too

 

[Alex P Keaton]

I feel like they came up with a bunch of categories that favor age

Exactly. I’m 50 and far more “functional” at most of those things than at any point in my life to date.

Yet I want to nap every afternoon, can’t focus longer than 15 minutes on any topic, and have knees that are so shot I can barely walk up the stairs.

 

[Nugget]

I feel like they came up with a bunch of categories that favor age

Exactly. I’m 50 and far more “functional” at most of those things than at any point in my life to date.

Yet I want to nap every afternoon, can’t focus longer than 15 minutes on any topic, and have knees that are so shot I can barely walk up the stairs.

This napping thing is real. That is really the only downside I'm seeing as I am less than 100 days from turning 50. Everything else in my life is better than it was 15-20 years ago.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

I feel like they came up with a bunch of categories that favor age

Exactly. I’m 50 and far more “functional” at most of those things than at any point in my life to date.

Yet I want to nap every afternoon, can’t focus longer than 15 minutes on any topic, and have knees that are so shot I can barely walk up the stairs.

This napping thing is real. That is really the only downside I'm seeing as I am less than 100 days from turning 50. Everything else in my life is better than it was 15-20 years ago.

Wow. That’s awesome. I’m definitely NOT willing to go that far.

I miss being able to play pickup b-ball for two hours, eat lunch and stretch a bit, then go play tennis for two more hours. Now? My body would go into full shutdown mode. I used to do a 3-day adult tennis camp where we played 20 hours of tennis across 2.5 days. It never even phased me — took a short nap each day between sessions. Body held up great. That was 8-12 years ago. Now? I wouldn’t make it through day 1.

Age 50 sucks physically. But in most other ways it is great.

 

[dutch]

For some their peak is in their 80's: https://nypost.com/2025/10/16/us-news/nj-grandma-80-completes-ironman-world-championship/

At 58 I am amazed by this and also depressed because I have a hard time walking up the hill in my neighborhood let alone swimming, running and biking in the same day. Now I'm sad.

 

[urbanhack]

For some their peak is in their 80's: https://nypost.com/2025/10/16/us-news/nj-grandma-80-completes-ironman-world-championship/

At 58 I am amazed by this and also depressed because I have a hard time walking up the hill in my neighborhood let alone swimming, running and biking in the same day. Now I'm sad.

Get busy living or get busy.....

 

[jamny]

I wasn't really prepared for the change in mindset once I hit 60. Being 59 annoyed me because I kept thinking of things like "my last Christmas in my 50s, my last Thanksgiving in my 50's, etc" It got into my head. But once I hit 60, it was like turning the page. Everything just fell to the past. Admittedly, it took a couple of months but once I settled in, it was great. No more big goals, just enjoy every day one at a time. No more need to suffer fools, no time for that. Things that I would say yes to in the past? Now I have no problem saying no. I'm not trying to hold up some image of myself. I don't care what people think of me. I was trending that way throughout my later 50's but hitting 60 solidified it.
When you hit 60, you start running the numbers. 10-15 years of healthy living left? I hope. My father died at 60 and my brother passed a few months ago at 63, but both had causes that I don't relate to myself. Mom lived to 78, so I'll go with that for now...lol.
I know I'm extremely fortunate in that we are financially secure and my health is excellent. Doctors are always impressed, just telling me "keep doing what you're doing" Still no aches or pains, rarely feel the need to nap, I walk about 4-5 miles a day. A little too much wine and beer but that's improving, even if we don't really want it to. But the biggest thing, as I said, is the mindset. The past is the past and I'm excited for this next stage. I feel like a teenager... with money!

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

My personality might be better since I found gummies. That’s about it

would you still send those young boys to the gas chamber - even though you didn't want to do it then, but felt you owed it to them?

 

[Tau837]

Study Finds.

My first reaction is to flip off all the Gen Zs. My second reaction is to shake my head - no way I'm better now than at 35.

Looking through the categories:

Cognitive intelligence​

Personality​

Emotional intelligence​

Financial literacy​

Moral reasoning​

Sunk cost fallacy resistance​

Cognitive flexibility​

Cognitive empathy​

Need for cognition​

Interesting list, but other than financial literacy I can't think of another of these that I'm better at 55 than 35. Anyone really think they're better in their fifties or sixties than at 35 (probably my peak)?

Full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000649?via=ihub

Just ran across this thread and haven't read any replies yet.

I turn 57 in a few weeks. I never thought about this before, but I would say I am at my peak in all of these categories. I'm a bit discouraged to think that I might start declining in these areas in a few years, but I suppose I can buy it.

I'm a bit surprised to see you say you were better at all of these at 35 than at 55 except financial literacy. It makes perfect sense to me that 20 years of maturity and life experience would affect all of these categories positively.

 

[Dr_Zaius]

I turn 50 next year. The OP list definitely seems tailored to categories that favor experience so age helps with pretty much all of them. That said, just in general competence I’d say I’m superior to my 35 year old self in most ways.

Besides the obvious aches, pains, and eyesight stuff, one thing that’s clearly worse is my memory. When I was younger I could memorize things almost effortlessly, and now while I remember most of the things I used to know, new things are much harder than in years back.

 

[tri-man 47]

I tend to agree with the basic premise.