Americans are retiring earlier than they'd expected-that's according to a new survey of 2,000 retirees.

The poll found that, on average, people initially expected to retire at 63.2 years old, but instead did so at 61.5 years old-beating the median point by almost two years.

One in three (32%) said that they "would have retired earlier if they'd had the chance."

However, 51% admitted to having difficulties accepting the changes to their health as they age.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ClearMatch Medicare, part of HealthPlanOne, the random double-opt-in survey found that 87% or retirees stayed out of the workforce after leaving it, while 22% reported it was difficult to let go of their previous employment.

Although 78% reportedly found fulfillment in their career, only 25% said they actively missed working. Half of respondents said they didn't miss it at all.

Of the 13% that had returned to the workforce, 40% did so to occupy their time, while many did so to help family members, friends, or former employers, or for other reasons not outlined in the survey. Only one in four returned to work because the cost of living had increased.

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"My company begged me to do consulting for them," one respondent recounted in an open-ended response, while another said that their former boss "called me back twice."

Despite this, 44% of those polled admitted that the amount of money they saved up for retirement wasn't enough.

88% of those surveyed were currently enrolled in Medicare, available in the US for people over 65.

When asked to share their thoughts on the most common myths about retirement, 57% cited the belief that Social Security would totally cover their retirement, while almost half (51%) brought up their mistaken assumption that all healthcare costs would be covered under Medicare.