Why being in your forties is the ‘golden age’ for a woman

WOMEN in their 40s might fear their best years are already behind them.

Instead they are enjoying a new ‘golden age’, according to a study. Women in their fifth decade said they felt happier and healthier than ever and had the best sex.

The perfect age was 44 – when they were most happy with their bodies. Everything from friendships to career prospects was deemed to be better.

Nearly half the women in the survey said they had ‘never looked better’ and 85 per cent said they had started to feel differently about their health and wellbeing.

Two thirds said they rated themselves as more confident and body positive than they did when younger.

Losing the party girl lifestyle also made a big difference, with 71 per cent saying quitting binge drinking had ‘massively positive effects’ on their appearance.

Commissioned by Ryvita, the survey covered 2,000 women aged from 40 to 59.

The women said that they were less critical of themselves than they had been when younger, giving them more confidence to enjoy a healthy sex life.

They also experienced less jealousy over other women’s bodies, with 62 per cent admitting they had stopped negatively comparing themselves to others.

TV’s Davina McCall, who recently turned 50, agreed with the findings.

‘In my forties I focused on getting more good into my life by adopting a healthy attitude toward food and keeping fit with regular exercise,’ she said. ‘Spending hours in the gym isn’t for everyone, so if you are looking to get active, there are some really fun ways you can do this. Getting outside is amazing. Going for a brisk walk or jog is a brill stepping stone.’ Having more disposable income also made the women in their 40s happier, with 29 per cent saying they had more cash for clothes and beauty products.

Social circles had improved , with 62 per cent saying their friendships were stronger than ever. A further 55 per cent said they had stripped out ‘fake friends’ from their network because they had a negative impact. Sixty-two per cent said they would embrace the ageing process.

But 15 per cent admitted they would consider having cosmetic surgery.

‘Confident and body positive’