The Age of Euphoria: Decoding the Magic of Our 20s
Why Do Experiences Feel Mesmerizing When We're Young
When people reach advanced adulthood and reflect on their younger years, they often find themselves filled with joyful nostalgia and a deep personal connection to their twenties. This period is frequently remembered as the pinnacle of happiness, energy, and freedom, unmatched by any other stage in life. Sadly, this perception may hold some truth.
This Time is Truly Unique
For reference, when I say "your twenties" I’m referring to young adulthood, typically spanning from ages 18 to 30. Okay, moving on.
Over time, life chips away at our ability to savor the experiences that once brought us immense joy during our youth. As we age, hearing loss becomes more common, leading us to prefer quieter music to avoid discomfort. Added responsibilities further limit our opportunities for spontaneous, blissful encounters. Many individuals also become resistant to embracing new forms of art, such as different music genres or different social circles.
Consider your uncle, who adamantly claims that there hasn't been a decent TV show or quality music since the 80s. He also says technology is a hazard, and that life was simpler and better in the past. To some extent, your uncle is correct, caught up in his own self-fulfilling prophecy.
Our Twenties: A Time To Fall In Love, Enjoy Music, and Be Anxious
Extensive research reveals that during young adulthood (between the ages of 18 and 30), our bodies are primed for the release of key hormones: dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. These hormones are linked with well-being, sexual arousal, transcendent experiences, and anxiety. They intensify our emotional connections to the things that resonate with us most deeply.
Think back to those moments at a party when the music seemed to speak directly to you, or when butterflies danced in your stomach during a conversation with someone you had just met, or when a productive workday felt as rewarding as scaling a mountain. These are the moments when dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin perform at their peak.
Our brains are naturally geared to release these hormones as part of a survival strategy. By facilitating the search for a suitable reproductive partner, our brains contribute to the extension of our genetic lineage. These intentions are most pronounced during young adulthood, a period when individuals are at their peak fertility.
However, as mentioned earlier, these experiences diminish with age. It's not solely due to a reduction in available time for late-night clubbing; our brains struggle to release these "feel-good hormones" as effectively. In some cases, the decline in dopamine release can be as significant as a 50% drop. Even cortisol, the stress hormone that plays a role in falling in love, decreases over time, leading to emotional numbness.
This is why your parents are dumbfounded by the latest Punk Rock album's hype—it's not that they are out of touch, but rather, your brain is better equipped than theirs to respond to the emotional nuances in music.
So, Does Happiness End?
The answer is a resounding no unless you allow it to be so. Don't panic if you feel that your current life isn’t as enjoyable as it should be. It's perfectly fine if you're not inclined to party or drink every other day. You don't have to attend every concert just because you fear you won't enjoy music as you once did. Nor should you be anxious about not having met the love of your life yet, believing that “there’s just no way I will meet people after university.” There is hope. You can train yourself to stay young.
Age is A State Of Mind
As you've undoubtedly heard before, the brain functions like a muscle—if you don't use it, you lose it. Therefore, I've found several mental exercises to keep the brain youthful:
Regular Exercise
Regular physical activity naturally boosts dopamine and serotonin levels, enhancing our mood. Exercise is a drug on its own.
Meditation
Studies find that just three minutes each morning of mindful meditation sustains dopamine and serotonin levels throughout the day while reducing stress.
Balanced Diet
Foods rich in tryptophan, the protein responsible for neurotransmitter production, can raise serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine levels. These foods include turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, and cheese.
Adequate Sleep
Prioritize sleep, aiming for around 8 hours per night to increase serotonin levels in your brain. In my experience, sufficient sleep significantly impacts overall life satisfaction and performance.
Time in Nature
Spend time outdoors, as it can also elevate serotonin levels in the brain. Consider incorporating a short 10-minute walk into your mornings or afternoons or both!
Seek Novelty
Prevent your brain from stagnating by actively seeking new experiences. This might involve taking a different route to work, exploring different music or film genres, or trying out a new restaurant in an unfamiliar part of town. Stay curious!
In A Few Words
You don't need to engage in all these practices daily to maintain youthfulness, instead, you should actively incorporate some of these mental exercises, especially as you age, into your daily routine. Rather than constantly partying in fear of missing out on your "best years," practice staying curious and open to adding novelty to your life.
Sources
https://hr.mit.edu/static/worklife/youngadult/changes.html
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00221-022-06449-w
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22588-dopamine-deficiency
https://www.personalabs.com/blog/5-ways-to-fix-low-dopamine-levels-naturally/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2819950/
https://www.mymed.com/health-wellness/interesting-health-info/chemistry-or-cupid-the-science-behind-falling-in-love-explored/the-stages-of-love
https://neurosciencenews.com/music-aging-22716/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3734071/
