Why the late-30s are a man's misery years

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But men in their late-30s and early-40s are the least content of all of us, it seems.

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Men are most miserable in their late 30s

Whether they are mourning the passing of their prime or struggling to cope with the demands of a job and young family, those aged 35-44 invariably hit a mid-life crisis when their happiness level plunges lower than at any other age, according to a study for the Government.

It makes them the least satisfied members of society, scoring well below teenagers, the elderly - and women of all ages.

Researchers found that it takes men until they reach the age of 65 to start enjoying life as much as they did in their late-teens and early-20s.

More than 1,600 people were asked to score their wellbeing on a scale of one to ten in the study, part of the British Market Research Bureau survey of Britons' attitudes towards themselves,

The overall average satisfaction level for both sexes was 7.3.

Most men rated their carefree teenage years between the age of 16-24 as one if their happiest periods, with an average score of 7.55 out of ten.

But halfway through their careers, satisfaction levels dipped to a low of 6.8, only rising again to nearly 7.8 once they had crested retirement age.

The report found that women are less buoyant in their teens than men, rating their wellbeing at 7.3 out of ten.

Women said their worst years were between the age of 25 and 34, when most are coping with young children, but their wellbeing rose steadily as they got older, reaching hit a peak satisfaction level of 7.65 when over the age of 65.

Researchers found that most people rated their time at universityas the best years of their life, closely followed by their retirement years.

The biggest difference between the sexes was in the contentment of those not working, with women far happier than men to stay at home not seeking work.

Overall, 74 per cent of the UK population reported that they feel positive about themselves.

But women are more likely to fret, with almost half admitting that they worry a lot, compared to less than a third of men.