From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Do people get happier with age1?
If you said2
"Yes," then you were right3.
A recent study found that4
people generally5 become6 happier and worry less7 after the age8 of 50.
A team9 at
Stony Brook University in New York asked10
people between11
the ages of 18 and 85 about their happiness12.
The researchers13
found that levels of stress14
were highest15 in
adults between the ages of 22 and 25.
Stress levels dropped sharply16
after people reached17
their 50s. Happiness18
was highest among19
the youngest adults and those in their early20
70s. But those least likely21
to report22
feeling negative emotions were the oldest ones.
The study also23
found that men and women have similar24
emotional patterns25
as they grow older26.
But women of all ages27
reported more sadness28,
stress and worry29
than men.
The researchers30
also considered possible influences like having young children31, being unemployed32 or being single33. But they found that these situations
did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being34
related to age35.
So why would happiness increase36
with age? One theory is that, as people get older, they become more thankful37 for what they have and have better control38
of their emotions.
They also spend less time
thinking about39 bad experiences. Happiness is not the only thing40
that seems41 to improve42 with age. Another study43 found
that people in their 80s reported the
fewest problems44 with their sleep45.
Researchers had expected to
confirm46 the popular
belief47 that sleep problems are connected to aging48. The survey49 found an increase in sleep problems during middle age50, especially51 in
women.
But overall52,
people reported that they felt53
their sleep quality improved with age.For VOA Learning English, I'm Alex
Villarreal. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 06Mar2013
Vocabulary
1. get happier with age = ficam mais felizes com a idade
2. said = disse
3. you were right = voce estava certo
4. found that = descobriu que
5. generally = geralmente
6. become = tornam-se
7. worry less = preocupam-se menos
8. after the age = após a idade
9. team = equipe
10. asked = perguntaram
11. between = entre
12. happiness = felicidade
13. researchers = pesquisadores
14. researchers = níveis de stress
15. highest = os mais altos
16. dropped sharply = cairam drasticamente
17. reached = alcançaram
18. Happiness = felicidade
19. highest among = o mais alto entre
20. early = início
21. those least likely = aqueles menos prováveis
22. report = relatar
23. also = também
24. similar = semelhante
25. emotional patterns = padrões emocionais
26. as they grow older = a medida em que eles ficam mais velhos
27. women of all ages = mulheres de todas as idades
28. sadness = tristeza
29. worry = preocupação
30. researchers = pesquisadores
31. young children = filhos jovens
32. being unemployed = estar desempregado
33. single = solteiro
34. well-being = bem-estar
35. related to age = relacionado à idade
36. increase = aumentar
37. become more thankful = tornam-se mais gratos
38. have better control = tem um controle melhor
39. spend less time thinking about = passam menos tempo pensando sobre
40. is not the only thing = não é a única coisa
41. seems = parece
42. improve = melhorar
43. Another study = um outro estudo
44. the fewest problems = o menor número de problemas
45. sleep = sono
46. had expected to confirm = tinham experado confirmer
47. popular belief = crença popular
48. connected to aging = conectado ao envelhecimento
49. survey = pesquisa
50. during middle age = durante a meia idade
51. especially = especialmente
52. overall = no geral
53. felt = sentiram
