The good news is that while we may peak in one area of endeavor, we are capable of improvement in another. For instance, teenagers may have all the energy, but older adults tend to have the best vocabulary. Here are some critical physical and mental health milestones throughout your life that you should be aware of.
It’s easiest to learn a second language at ages 7–8
While experts are still debating this issue, it is generally accepted that the best time to learn a second language is at a very young age.
Most experts believe that starting to learn a foreign language before puberty is optimal – specifically before the age of 8.
Experts believe that starting to learn a foreign language before puberty is optimal – specifically before the age of 8. (Illustrative image)
The fastest processing speed occurs at age 18
According to a study by neuroscientists at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital, the ability to think quickly and recall information, such as people’s names, is best at age 18. Very soon afterward, usually by age 19, it starts to decline.
Physical strength peaks at age 25
A study from the University of Toronto found that muscle strength reaches its highest potential when you’re 25. This is particularly the case for sports such as sprinting and swimming, which demand speed, strength, and maximum oxygen consumption.
The average elite marathon runner is 28 years old. While physical strength peaks at 25, studies show that it doesn’t start declining for a while. This is supported by a 50-year analysis of marathon races, which showed that the average age to complete a race in just over two hours (quite fast) is 28.
Chess players peak at around age 35
Playing chess involves a certain level of cognitive ability, encompassing processing speed, planning, intellectual flexibility, and memory.
Economists from the University of Ludwig Maximilian in Munich analyzed 24,000 professional chess games to track the performance of top players.
They found that performance increased sharply until the early 20s and peaked at around 35 years of age.
Maximum focusing ability at age 43
A study from Harvard and the Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory found that people in their mid-40s – specifically 43 – tended to perform best on tests of attention.
So, while your information processing abilities may decline, older adults will win when it comes to sustaining focus for longer periods.
Vocabulary skills peak at age 65
According to the MIT study, it turns out that people’s scores on vocabulary tests continue to increase until their mid-60s. You don’t need to sit and read the dictionary all day to make this happen – it occurs naturally as we age.
Mental health peaks at around age 82
As we grow older, we eventually learn to appreciate life. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists asked people to imagine a 10-rung ladder, with the best possible life at the top and the worst possible life at the bottom.
The oldest group they studied (ages 82 to 85) gave the highest average rating, around 7.
