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You know to watch out for the Porsche yearnings and young, blonde temptation, but midlife melancholia is typically sneakier than Hollywood makes it seem. All it takes is one milestone as happy as your kid graduating college, or as sad as a parent dying to start wondering, "What have I done with my life?"

Some researchers believe the midlife crisis is hardwired and biological the male version of menopause. But cynics contend that it's just a self fulfilling prophecy, an excuse for guys to go wild one last time. Biological or cultural, the slump is real: A 2014 study revealed that both men and women worldwide are the least happy around 44 years old. It's tied to regrets and reinvention: a sort of reevaluation of what you've done so far, mourning for the age you'll never experience again, and a transition to what the new, older you will look like, Adams explains.

Fortunately, the freakout is fleeting. The same 2014 study also found that happiness starts curving back up after your midlife.[easy payday loans http://www.paydayloansonline.cn] But how do you head off the crisis and avoid ever hitting rock bottom? Look for these five subtle signs of a potential meltdown:

1. You want to spend your Saturdays playing football instead of watching it on the couch.

"A lot of guys don't trade in their wives, but they might feel like they want to prove they can still do things they did in their 30s," says Adams. But let's face it: You can't take the same blows at 50 that you could at 30. Get active, but start slow: Last year, Canadian researchers found that overexertion was the most common cause of injury in older adults. Find a group of guys your age with similar goals, Adams suggests. Look for an over 40 or over 50 sports team to help get you off your butt while avoiding injury.

2. Your college plan of being a novelist is haunting your dreams.

You've been pushing the same papers for the past 20 years of course you're tired of it. Think you're too old to switch career paths? You're not careers are more fluid now than ever, Frankel adds. In fact, 40 percent of Americans ages 44 70 are already in, or interested in, a different career path than they originally went down, according to a MetLife Foundation survey. It can be done alone, but Frankel recommends a professional life planner or career coach to help you figure out where your passion and dissatisfaction really lies, and how you can transfer your first skill sets to your new field.

But don't jump ship too fast: Work is only one dimension of wellness, so fulfilling another aspect may be more advantageous than overturning your 9 to 5, Frankel adds. Propose a philanthropic program at work, like a mentorship or fundraiser: At midlife, many people feel a draw to enhance others' wellbeing. Volunteering and mentoring can resolve this need and reduce the draw of your itch to just quit a job and find a new path, he says.

3. You worry your wife doesn't find you sexy anymore. Plus, nothing works quite like it used to: Women often take longer to get aroused, and men find their erections aren't as hard.

But this doesn't spell the end of your sex life. Communication and a little adventure can help bring back the spark, Price says. Tell your partner what you need more of, like extra time kissing and touching, she suggests. And forget what's age appropriate: A sense of exploration like having sex somewhere new, reading an erotic story together, or discovering new hot spots can arouse the both of you. And try rolling in the hay after the gym: "Since so many of the sexual problems of aging are due to reduced blood flow, exercise together before sex to get your blood pumping," Price suggests.

4. You worry an underling is going to steal your job.

"One way guys want to prove they're still young is by flexing their power muscles more at work," Adams says. And when you've put in years with a company, corporate ladder climbers can threaten your hard work. But if you're worried about someone who is a decade younger, tread lightly: Playing the seniority card can unconsciously heighten the impression you're part of the past and not the future, says Frankel. Refresh your resume, and yourself, he suggests: Update your look in some way, like getting new glasses or a different haircut, become fluent in new technology, and take a couple of classes to bring fresh information and thinking to your job. This professional facelift, combined with the advantages only experience can bring wisdom, stability, reliability can prove that you're irreplaceable and capable of executing new ideas, Frankel adds.

5. Your hobbies and habits don't really make you happy.

Most researchers avoid the term midlife "crisis" because often it doesn't manifest like an alarm. "Some people might just experience a slump where they drink or eat more, spend more time watching TV or surfing the Internet, and may even be mildly depressed," explains Adams. Sometimes, this is just how people process the feelings of lost opportunities and youth. But at midlife, you often don't notice changes as quickly, so unhealthy habits tend to settle in deeper before you realize you should change them, Adams says.

Don't think your TV time is cause for concern? Picture how you would feel if, in a year, everything in your life was the same, suggests Adams. If the answer isn't positive, it's probably time to reevaluate your choices. Now think of what you'd like to see happen in 5 years. "We ask this of young people to help them choose their life path, but you should always have something to accomplish whether you're 25 or 55," she says.

Think of something you've always wanted to do, like drive down California's Route 1 or run a half marathon. Then turn to technology for help: Programs like Habit List can help you track your new habits until they become second nature, and goal reaching databases like Lift and GoalsOnTrack allow you to set milestones, big and small.