Most people think that the idea of falling in love at first sight only exists in romantic comedies and cheesy novels.

But plenty of couples claim that they fell for each other the moment they met, and a new study has revealed that the phenomenon may happen more often than we think - especially for older adults.

Research from Retire Savvy found that people later in life are more attuned to tell if they are attracted to someone from the moment they first look at them, so much so that one in four people aged 65 or older said they can confidently tell within seconds whether they are attracted to a new date.

This compared to just 19 per cent of people aged 45 or older who could say the same.

As you get older, you're also less likely to waste your time on a relationship which you know is 'not quite right'.

It was revealed that people over 60 were also revealed to be more likely to end a date within minutes if they don’t immediately hit it off with the person they are with.


Seventy seven per cent of over 65s surveyed said they have a clear life plan in mind, compared to just 55 per cent of people in their forties. This led researchers to believe that the older we get, the more knowledge we have about what we want in life.

Andrew Sheen, editor of Retire Savvy commented: "It's a myth that life ends when you reach your later years. Whether it's meeting new people clubbing or through online dating, there's an image of the over 55s that's at least a decade out of date." Far from being past it and happy to settle, the over 55s are among the most confident when it comes to dating and romance.


"Our survey finds the over 55s know what they want from a relationship and they're not afraid to take the lead to get it. While in most cases it's a companion to share interests and the second half of their with, there are still many vivacious people in their fifties and sixties who are interested in continuing their sex lives."

So don’t despair if you’re single and turning 30 this year, because you might have a good three decades to wait until you know exactly what you want from a potential partner.