39 ms·

80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

442 points by t23 9y ago

glbrew 9y ago
I don't know the nuances of this study but I am curious about the role of personality. I have lived much of my life with large groups of caring family and friends and I was miserable. I have lived parts of my life as relatively isolated and reclusive and was enormously happy. Have any related studies accounted for personality? 5,10,20% of the population might be the exact opposite?
- bookmarkacc 9y ago
  They mention relationships. Not size. So it doesnt seem to matter if you have many or few relationships. Just that you are happy with them.
- scottLobster 9y ago
  Seems like you fit the study's findings quite well actually: "The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health." You can be surrounded by "caring" family and friends that you don't have a lot in common with, and that can be miserable. Getting determined but bad/outdated advice from parents is a classic and widespread example. It's not that the parents don't want the best for their now-adult kid, it's just that they're simply ignorant of the best way forward. But they're convinced that they're right and that creates friction despite good intentions.
  - throwawayfeel 9y ago
    I have an anecdote of this from literally yesterday(and it's personal enough to be a throwaway). Status from my 20s to early 30s: at home, occasional small gigs, not much steady work or career prospects. I got badgered with "we worry about you" or "maybe you should get a second job" all the time. Status as of yesterday when I reported that I had successfully speculated several hundred thousand dollars through multi-year cryptocurrency trades: Wow, that's great, you should diversify your wealth and marry someone now. The dinner table conversation was relaxed for once. Which is still them imposing a narrative on me, but it's one I feel a lot more able to negotiate than the money question, where any plan or project I announced was simply met with further doubt, dismay or disinterest. They didn't want to engage with the prospects or pay attention to anything but results and it was leaving me constantly gloomy and self-doubting and frustrated with them. And I don't think it's exactly that the money itself is making me happy, since I'm pretty spartan in my lifestyle - I'll go out for coffee drinks most days and that's my biggest and most common indulgence, but I don't spend on big luxuries or travel more than once every year or two. It's the side effect of the story changing to "I'm not totally dependent anymore, I'm free to do what I want right now" and subsequently changing their outlook.
    - coldtea 9y ago
      >Status as of yesterday when I reported that I had successfully speculated several hundred thousand dollars through multi-year cryptocurrency trades: Wow, that's great, you should diversify your wealth and marry someone now. The dinner table conversation was relaxed for once. Don't know about marriage, but definitely diversify your wealth...
      - nojvek 9y ago
        A loving and caring wife definitely makes you happy. You also need return the favor. I was always afraid of Marriage but pulled the trigger one day. There's some truth to the advice.
megamindbrian 9y ago
TLDR: year 0 - 29 - Experience as much trauma, stress, and failure as you possibly can. 30+ - Stop giving a fuck about your unaddressed trauma and find a new reason to strive to stay alive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_pruning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_pruning
smallgovt 9y ago
The article seems to argue that healthy relationships CAUSE physical health. How do you actually prove that the relationship between the two attributes is causal versus correlated? For example, one could conclude, instead, that being in good physical health is the cause of successful relationships.
- mobilefriendly 9y ago
  This may be particularly true in romantic relationships.
  - yosito 9y ago
    It may also be particularly false in romantic relationships. Have you met my ex?
    - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
      When you buy a Kia and it breaks it's "unreliable". When you buy a Ferrari and it breaks it's "temperamental" or "quirky". A Toyota may cost a pretty penny and be more reliable than the Kia but the Ferrari looks much better in your garage and is much more fun to take for a spin.
    - ARCarr 9y ago
      The original post said "healthy" relationships.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- ck425 9y ago
  I can't find a link but there was an article here recently where researchers had concluded strong relationships contributed to better self control and thus had a knock on effect on health.
- door 9y ago
  this isn't really a useful point. social sciences necessarily rely on this kind of research because you can't do a controlled trial on people's long-term behaviors really.
rubicon33 9y ago
What I take from this article is that social interaction is extremely important to ones health, and it's something that we largely taken for granted. In the age of computers and secluded work environments, I think we need to be aware of the effect that even casual interaction has on our mental and physical health. I have some personal/anecdotal experience which back this research up and affirms my belief that communication and interaction with others is vital. I've been working from home for a number of years. During this time I've on average spoken with and interacted with 1 person every day - my wife. I occasionally go out, occasionally see family members, but the majority of my day-to-day work is quiet, alone, working at a computer. - I have been more sick in recent years than ever before in my life. This is even compared to previously living in a major city and taking public transportation. - I have been experiencing sharp mental decline especially in the last year. Solving complex problems is much more challenging. - My memory is suffering. Even my wife has begun to notice, I forget little things and have developed an "aloof professor" disposition that wasn't natural to me. - I now find social interaction more difficult. I'm more akward, and find myself over-thinking previously natural interactions. - Lastly ... I'm far more depressed. I just don't enjoy much these days. I wake up, work, don't talk to many people. The TLDR here is that I urge everyone to tend to their social garden. I let mine decay for too long, and I'm paying the price now. I am beginning the process of restoring connections, and getting out more, and I'm already noticing an improved mood. Oh and I should mention - I'm naturally an introvert so this reclusive lifestyle was all too comfortable for me.
- BatFastard 9y ago
  Its not too late! Socialize more, exercise everyday, and take something for depression! Learn new things, I had a rough spell a few years ago which took its toll. Now what I find is I have to walk the razors edge everyday. Make sure I sleep enough, eat right (low carb and fasting), exercise twice a day. If I dont I start to lose the edge.
  - rubicon33 9y ago
    Absolutely! I should mention that I have already covered the basics, which is why I strongly believe this is a social problem. I have: - Seen a doctor, gotten blood tests done, and verified all is "normal" - Eaten very healthy, home cooked meals since I started WFH. - Exercise 4-5 times a week. I am in "good" shape, and I am looking at registering to run my first marathon soon. - Drink lots of water. Mostly avoid alcohol.
aschearer 9y ago
If you like this you may also enjoy "The Village Effect" by Susan Pinker[1]. In the book the author documents various ways in which social connectedness impacts our well being. As this article and book say "loneliness kills", but what does that mean for those of us who want to live long and healthy lives? Do we need to start scheduling social time alongside gym time? Will a hug a day keep the doctor away? Should we join organized religions or get married strictly for the health benefits? [1]: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22933077-the-village-effect https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22933077-the-village-eff...
- judah 9y ago
  >> "Should we join organized religions or get married strictly for the health benefits?" As a married religious person who was once single and not so religious, I can attest that faith and marriage have generally made me happier. Given the choice again, I'd utilize both regardless of health benefits. I do wonder if that general happiness factor contributes to better health in indirect ways.
  - ams6110 9y ago
    Of course the risk of marriage is that if the marriage falls apart it can cause devastating unhappiness for a long time, that you may never really recover from.
- rokhayakebe 9y ago
  Should we join organized religions or get married strictly for the health benefits Sure, why not? So long as you can use from it what is beneficial and leave the rest. Everyone gets married for some reason (have kids, finances, politics, lust, love etc...). If you do it to be happier and live a longer live, then all the more power. Everyone who choosed their religion did so for some reason (get closer to God, politics, fashion, soul-finding etc...). If you do it to be happier and live a longer live, then all the more power.
  - catawbasam 9y ago
    No, not strictly for the health benefits. Do them for their own sake, and they can bring you great joy. Do them without attention to their essential meaning, and you will be living falsely. This will not make you happy or healthy.
danr4 9y ago
While it does shed a light on the "quest for meaning", this study is not useful as long as we lack the understanding of the role of personality. I think a good analogy is researchers finding that a certain disease kills, but not knowing how do you contract that disease and what you can do to cure it. It might help you identify your situation, but not how to change it.
gojomo 9y ago
Step 1: Achieve admission to, and enroll at, Harvard.† Step 2: ? Step 3: HAPPY LIFE -- † As a male in 1938.
- dang 9y ago
  Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14818590 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14818590 and please don't post like this to HN.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - gojomo 9y ago
    I'm familiar with the rules and think you've over-focused on the form, and ignored the legitimate content, of my comment. I like this study! I didn't call it 'bullshit' and there's nothing nasty in my formulation. But the high-order bit of things to be considered in the limits of this study's interpretation is how peculiar the main focus group - Harvard enrollees in 1938 - was. This HU house-press piece only obliquely hints at the issue, by noting how the study has gradually expanded to include children and wives, and an "inner-city" "control group". I realize wrapping the point in a formulaic meme risks making it look like pure snark/dismissal. But it can also be a way to sharply and memorably raise a very specific issue.
- pmyteh 9y ago
  It's precisely that many of the participants did not have happy (or healthy) lives that makes the study interesting. You're right that the initial sample is much narrower than ideal. That's why they've broadened the study to include a comparator group of city men and second-generation participants of both genders.
zeteo 9y ago
This reads like someone consciously decided "Hey, let's build the ultimate poster boy for bad statistical studies!". 1. Sample bias: "Why just study WEIRD [1] subjects? Let's do male Harvard graduates!" (Yes, half the study included inner city men, and one eighth of the duration featured women. It's still super heavily biased towards Harvard men.) 2. Correlation is not causation: "Hmm, health is correlated with relationship satisfaction. Could there be a common cause for both? Or maybe people like to hang out with healthier peers? No, the clear conclusion is that working on your relationships magically makes you healthier." 3. Inconsistent data collection: "Those '30s nincompoops were measuring skulls and handwriting. We'll stop doing that and take MRIs instead. But it's still the same study!" [1] https://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/weird/ https://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/weird/
- mcguire 9y ago
  "Psychiatrist George Vaillant, who joined the team as a researcher in 1966, led the study from 1972 until 2004. Trained as a psychoanalyst, Vaillant emphasized the role of relationships, and came to recognize the crucial role they played in people living long and pleasant lives." My first thought was that he found what he was looking for.
  - PunchTornado 9y ago
    I guess that's the danger in social sciences.
    - minikites 9y ago
      That would _never_ happen in the hard sciences!
- PunchTornado 9y ago
  I don't see anything wrong with the subjects being predominantly male Harvard graduates. A healthy and happy life means something different for an African farmer or for an Oxford professor. Obviously this study is concerned about the later. I also imagine that back in the day there were far more male graduates at Harvard.
faragon 9y ago
Bertrand Russell already put most of that in a book in 1930: "The Conquest of Happiness" [1] [1] Some quotes: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Conquest_of_Happiness https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Conquest_of_Happiness
- dolzenko 9y ago
  Was always a fan of his essay "In Praise of Idleness" [1] but never bothered to check if he had more to say on the subject of happiness in general, interesting read, thank you! [1] http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
polpenn 9y ago
Note that what they reportedly found is a stronger positive correlation between relationships and happiness than between money and fame and happiness (just based on the article): "Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives, the study revealed" So going after fame and money doesn't necessarily lead you to become unhappy (if we interpret the results as causal). Quality personal relationships just makes you even happier. Also, I'm curious to what extent cultivating meaningful relationship serves as a coping mechanism for people with little money or social status (alternatively, focusing on making money and acquiring high social status to compensate for poor personal relationship development skills). My impression, based on my observations from people I've met in developing countries, is that low income / social status people tend to have richer and active communities and personal relationships. High status individuals tend to be lonelier. But this could just be confirmation bias.
Dowwie 9y ago
"Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the revelation.”
elyrly 9y ago
Please take the time to actually read the book, this article doesn't do it justice. https://www.amazon.com/Triumphs-Experience-Harvard-Grant-Study/dp/0674503813 https://www.amazon.com/Triumphs-Experience-Harvard-Grant-Stu...
fernly 9y ago
I find this perfectly credible because almost exactly the same conclusions were stated by Putnam in the classic _Bowling Alone_ [1]. A couple of pull-quotes from that, > Dozens of painstaking studies... have established beyond reasonable doubt that ... [t]he more integrated we are with our community, the less likely we are to experience colds, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression and premature death of all sorts... > ... the positive contributions to health made by social integration and social support rival in strength the detrimental contributions of ... risk factors like ... smoking, obesity, elevated blood pressure, and physical inactivity. > ...as a rough rule of thumb, if you belong to no groups but decide to join one, you cut your risk of dying over the next year in half. Putnam was surveying a large number of studies, not just the Harvard one. [1] Putnam, Robert D, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community; https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046/ https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Commu...
rdudekul 9y ago
In Summary: Our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health. Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives, the study revealed. Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism. Good relationships don’t just protect our bodies; they protect our brains. The key to healthy aging is relationships...
Aron 9y ago
Let's all have a drink to that! Cheers!
- narrator 9y ago
  Actually, according to the study avoiding alcohol abuse was a key factor in long life and happiness. Too many people see the point of life as getting past all the crap they have to do to survive so they can get drunk on the weekend.
LoSboccacc 9y ago
Don't worry too much this study is bullshit Step 1 - be an adult white male graduated at the beginning of an unprecedented and unique economic boom Step 2 - graduate out of the most prominent college of the period Step 3 - watch your asset grow themselves Step 4 - enjoy the life without never have to worry about job security, housing, spending power Yeah no shit sherlock. I guess being upper middle class does wonder to one life. Meanwhile we have to contend with constant worry about our future, our kids future and one misstep in our career path can and will landslide into a life of regrets. And this study just say 'socialize' and everything else will magically go away.
- ObeyTheGuts 9y ago
  They also studied inner city gheto people dude, read before critique
- MarkSweep 9y ago
  From the article: "During the intervening decades, the control groups have expanded. In the 1970s, 456 Boston inner-city residents were enlisted as part of the Glueck Study, and 40 of them are still alive." "Those ties protect people from life’s discontents, help to delay mental and physical decline, and are better predictors of long and happy lives than social class, IQ, or even genes. That finding proved true across the board among both the Harvard men and the inner-city participants." The study control for the effects of class. That refutes some of your assertions.
  - LoSboccacc 9y ago
    With baby boomers, sure, the second most privileged generation on earth. Hint: it's hard to develop a social life working 60 hours a week, vice versa, people that can afford a good living standard are more likely to have the time to socialize. This study does nothing to verify if their ipothesys is correlation, causation or coincidence (because, let's be honest, 500 ppl and without a control group?)
- dang 9y ago
  Please don't post snarky internet insta-dismissals to HN. They greatly lower the quality of discussion, even when they have some good points to make. There are several such posts in this thread and that's a problem. The entire genre of internet comments that dismiss the life-work of others with a contemptuous hand-wave is problematic. Critique is good, but it should seriously engage with what it is criticizing. That takes effort, for which nastiness is an ugly substitute. We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14816358 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14816358 and marked it off-topic.
Emilie656 9y ago
Im making over $7k a month working part time. I kept hearing other people tell me how much money they can make online so I decided to look into it. Well, it was all true and has totally changed my life. This is what I do... >http://ow.ly/iBXm30dNtIZ http://ow.ly/iBXm30dNtIZ
thegenius2000 9y ago
I don't mean to be offensive or inflammatory, but how is this a discovery? Yes, money and success don't buy you happiness; living in a complete community is healthy. How was this not completely obvious?
- gourou 9y ago
  Happiness is healthy seems to be their discovery
stewbrew 9y ago
The sad thing about this is, nothing of this is news. I did some health research in the 1990s and read tons of studies telling you the same things. One of the best predictors for subjective well-being was whether people had 3+ really close friends. IMHO there is something wrong with this kind of research that rehashes known facts but doesn't really go any deeper than what was already known before. My gratulations to the researchers involved for getting the funding for such a long running study.
- Oras 9y ago
  It was actually kind of new to me when I watched that video two years ago. However, I agree with your point for deeper details. I wondered about the circumstances of those people, the stability of country (war times etc) and many other factors that are not mentioned in the article or the video. Also, I assume the study is just in America which makes me ask if happiness is the same recipe for different people in different parts of the world.
- graphitezepp 9y ago
  Nothing new under the sun, most things our modern work in social sciences show was figured out by some ancient philosopher or religious leader or another it seems to me.
Lxr 9y ago
There's no mention of how they sort correlation from causation. Does being physically healthy perhaps also lead to happier relationships?
- dajohnson89 9y ago
  Besides health, might financial well-being also lead to healthier/happier relationships? If you're poor and have to work two full-time jobs, the precious free time you do have may not be easily allocated to socializing. And, many social hobbies require capital.
numbsafari 9y ago
A suggestion: take up a social hobby. I taught social dance for a number of years. This is a great avenue for expanding your social interactions, getting healthy, building self awareness... blah blah blah. There's a great Argentine Tango scene in SF, just sayin, folks. There's also joining a hiking group or a walking group. Great to get out, get active, and get social. Or engage with an after school program, or mentorship organization. You have, like, so many options.
mcableton 9y ago
This is a great article. I agree with the comments here that says working at home can really squish your mood. It makes me wonder about social security. I remember some comments here about if they got rid of it, grandma would have to move in. Well, according to this article, that might be the best thing for grandma! I work from home but have been staying with my in laws since we had a baby. It has been great for my mental health.
indescions_2017 9y ago
I've got a simple hack I employ when in a new city. All through my twenties, I moved basically every year or two. Most of the time I had a network of family or associates to drawn upon before arrival. But often, I'd find myself a complete stranger, knowing not a single soul. What I'd do is this: find a local diner, not a touristy place, but a real local institution and landmark. And then eat dinner there every single night at the same time. If constrained budget wise, look for the early bird dinner specials. Become a regular. Trade gossip with the wait-staff, complement the cooks on their sublime creations, chat up the little old ladies, engage the workmen about their craft. After a few weeks you'll find yourself invited to birthday parties and have the opportunity to give back your own time and energy, shovelling a driveway or helping out at a food drive. A summer time variant: farmers markets. They typically have the same vendors every week and will remember you if you purchase a quart of organic honey and ask with genuine interest questions about their practise. Offer to get them started on Facebook / Shopify. Pretty soon, word spreads and you're no longer a stranger in town!
- visakanv 9y ago
  That's a really cool story. I'd love to read about your experiences in greater detail. Any chance you might have a blog?
- Broken_Hippo 9y ago
  This also works in places like gas stations (try to visit the same ones), grocery stores if you go 1+ times a week, and sometimes coffee shops and fast food joints, especially in smaller towns. It takes a little longer, but a popular walking path can grant good results as well. Basically anything routine where you are likely to run into the same folks over and over.
  - ghthor 9y ago
    This is also the trick to building healthy online communities, running into the same people over and over again. It's the difference between a toxic flamewar culture and a positive supportive culture.
- 9y ago
Strategizer 9y ago
Assuming that good relationships imply good aging, I'd like to know how do they work. How much would differ a long relationship from 2 middle relationships to 7 short relationships? If there's already any study about it, please share it with me, I'd love to read it!

442 points by t23 9y ago

I don't know the nuances of this study but I am curious about the role of personality. I have lived much of my life with large groups of caring family and friends and I was miserable. I have lived parts of my life as relatively isolated and reclusive and was enormously happy. Have any related studies accounted for personality? 5,10,20% of the population might be the exact opposite?

bookmarkacc 9y ago
They mention relationships. Not size. So it doesnt seem to matter if you have many or few relationships. Just that you are happy with them.
scottLobster 9y ago
Seems like you fit the study's findings quite well actually: "The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health." You can be surrounded by "caring" family and friends that you don't have a lot in common with, and that can be miserable. Getting determined but bad/outdated advice from parents is a classic and widespread example. It's not that the parents don't want the best for their now-adult kid, it's just that they're simply ignorant of the best way forward. But they're convinced that they're right and that creates friction despite good intentions.
- throwawayfeel 9y ago
  I have an anecdote of this from literally yesterday(and it's personal enough to be a throwaway). Status from my 20s to early 30s: at home, occasional small gigs, not much steady work or career prospects. I got badgered with "we worry about you" or "maybe you should get a second job" all the time. Status as of yesterday when I reported that I had successfully speculated several hundred thousand dollars through multi-year cryptocurrency trades: Wow, that's great, you should diversify your wealth and marry someone now. The dinner table conversation was relaxed for once. Which is still them imposing a narrative on me, but it's one I feel a lot more able to negotiate than the money question, where any plan or project I announced was simply met with further doubt, dismay or disinterest. They didn't want to engage with the prospects or pay attention to anything but results and it was leaving me constantly gloomy and self-doubting and frustrated with them. And I don't think it's exactly that the money itself is making me happy, since I'm pretty spartan in my lifestyle - I'll go out for coffee drinks most days and that's my biggest and most common indulgence, but I don't spend on big luxuries or travel more than once every year or two. It's the side effect of the story changing to "I'm not totally dependent anymore, I'm free to do what I want right now" and subsequently changing their outlook.
  - coldtea 9y ago
    >Status as of yesterday when I reported that I had successfully speculated several hundred thousand dollars through multi-year cryptocurrency trades: Wow, that's great, you should diversify your wealth and marry someone now. The dinner table conversation was relaxed for once. Don't know about marriage, but definitely diversify your wealth...
    - nojvek 9y ago
      A loving and caring wife definitely makes you happy. You also need return the favor. I was always afraid of Marriage but pulled the trigger one day. There's some truth to the advice.

megamindbrian 9y ago

TLDR: year 0 - 29 - Experience as much trauma, stress, and failure as you possibly can. 30+ - Stop giving a fuck about your unaddressed trauma and find a new reason to strive to stay alive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_pruning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_pruning

smallgovt 9y ago

The article seems to argue that healthy relationships CAUSE physical health. How do you actually prove that the relationship between the two attributes is causal versus correlated? For example, one could conclude, instead, that being in good physical health is the cause of successful relationships.

mobilefriendly 9y ago
This may be particularly true in romantic relationships.
- yosito 9y ago
  It may also be particularly false in romantic relationships. Have you met my ex?
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    When you buy a Kia and it breaks it's "unreliable". When you buy a Ferrari and it breaks it's "temperamental" or "quirky". A Toyota may cost a pretty penny and be more reliable than the Kia but the Ferrari looks much better in your garage and is much more fun to take for a spin.
  - ARCarr 9y ago
    The original post said "healthy" relationships.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
ck425 9y ago
I can't find a link but there was an article here recently where researchers had concluded strong relationships contributed to better self control and thus had a knock on effect on health.
door 9y ago
this isn't really a useful point. social sciences necessarily rely on this kind of research because you can't do a controlled trial on people's long-term behaviors really.

rubicon33 9y ago

What I take from this article is that social interaction is extremely important to ones health, and it's something that we largely taken for granted. In the age of computers and secluded work environments, I think we need to be aware of the effect that even casual interaction has on our mental and physical health. I have some personal/anecdotal experience which back this research up and affirms my belief that communication and interaction with others is vital. I've been working from home for a number of years. During this time I've on average spoken with and interacted with 1 person every day - my wife. I occasionally go out, occasionally see family members, but the majority of my day-to-day work is quiet, alone, working at a computer. - I have been more sick in recent years than ever before in my life. This is even compared to previously living in a major city and taking public transportation. - I have been experiencing sharp mental decline especially in the last year. Solving complex problems is much more challenging. - My memory is suffering. Even my wife has begun to notice, I forget little things and have developed an "aloof professor" disposition that wasn't natural to me. - I now find social interaction more difficult. I'm more akward, and find myself over-thinking previously natural interactions. - Lastly ... I'm far more depressed. I just don't enjoy much these days. I wake up, work, don't talk to many people. The TLDR here is that I urge everyone to tend to their social garden. I let mine decay for too long, and I'm paying the price now. I am beginning the process of restoring connections, and getting out more, and I'm already noticing an improved mood. Oh and I should mention - I'm naturally an introvert so this reclusive lifestyle was all too comfortable for me.

BatFastard 9y ago
Its not too late! Socialize more, exercise everyday, and take something for depression! Learn new things, I had a rough spell a few years ago which took its toll. Now what I find is I have to walk the razors edge everyday. Make sure I sleep enough, eat right (low carb and fasting), exercise twice a day. If I dont I start to lose the edge.
- rubicon33 9y ago
  Absolutely! I should mention that I have already covered the basics, which is why I strongly believe this is a social problem. I have: - Seen a doctor, gotten blood tests done, and verified all is "normal" - Eaten very healthy, home cooked meals since I started WFH. - Exercise 4-5 times a week. I am in "good" shape, and I am looking at registering to run my first marathon soon. - Drink lots of water. Mostly avoid alcohol.

aschearer 9y ago

If you like this you may also enjoy "The Village Effect" by Susan Pinker[1]. In the book the author documents various ways in which social connectedness impacts our well being. As this article and book say "loneliness kills", but what does that mean for those of us who want to live long and healthy lives? Do we need to start scheduling social time alongside gym time? Will a hug a day keep the doctor away? Should we join organized religions or get married strictly for the health benefits? [1]: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22933077-the-village-effect https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22933077-the-village-eff...

judah 9y ago
>> "Should we join organized religions or get married strictly for the health benefits?" As a married religious person who was once single and not so religious, I can attest that faith and marriage have generally made me happier. Given the choice again, I'd utilize both regardless of health benefits. I do wonder if that general happiness factor contributes to better health in indirect ways.
- ams6110 9y ago
  Of course the risk of marriage is that if the marriage falls apart it can cause devastating unhappiness for a long time, that you may never really recover from.
rokhayakebe 9y ago
Should we join organized religions or get married strictly for the health benefits Sure, why not? So long as you can use from it what is beneficial and leave the rest. Everyone gets married for some reason (have kids, finances, politics, lust, love etc...). If you do it to be happier and live a longer live, then all the more power. Everyone who choosed their religion did so for some reason (get closer to God, politics, fashion, soul-finding etc...). If you do it to be happier and live a longer live, then all the more power.
- catawbasam 9y ago
  No, not strictly for the health benefits. Do them for their own sake, and they can bring you great joy. Do them without attention to their essential meaning, and you will be living falsely. This will not make you happy or healthy.

danr4 9y ago

While it does shed a light on the "quest for meaning", this study is not useful as long as we lack the understanding of the role of personality. I think a good analogy is researchers finding that a certain disease kills, but not knowing how do you contract that disease and what you can do to cure it. It might help you identify your situation, but not how to change it.

gojomo 9y ago

Step 1: Achieve admission to, and enroll at, Harvard.† Step 2: ? Step 3: HAPPY LIFE -- † As a male in 1938.

dang 9y ago
Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14818590 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14818590 and please don't post like this to HN.
- deleted 9y ago
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- gojomo 9y ago
  I'm familiar with the rules and think you've over-focused on the form, and ignored the legitimate content, of my comment. I like this study! I didn't call it 'bullshit' and there's nothing nasty in my formulation. But the high-order bit of things to be considered in the limits of this study's interpretation is how peculiar the main focus group - Harvard enrollees in 1938 - was. This HU house-press piece only obliquely hints at the issue, by noting how the study has gradually expanded to include children and wives, and an "inner-city" "control group". I realize wrapping the point in a formulaic meme risks making it look like pure snark/dismissal. But it can also be a way to sharply and memorably raise a very specific issue.
pmyteh 9y ago
It's precisely that many of the participants did not have happy (or healthy) lives that makes the study interesting. You're right that the initial sample is much narrower than ideal. That's why they've broadened the study to include a comparator group of city men and second-generation participants of both genders.

zeteo 9y ago

This reads like someone consciously decided "Hey, let's build the ultimate poster boy for bad statistical studies!". 1. Sample bias: "Why just study WEIRD [1] subjects? Let's do male Harvard graduates!" (Yes, half the study included inner city men, and one eighth of the duration featured women. It's still super heavily biased towards Harvard men.) 2. Correlation is not causation: "Hmm, health is correlated with relationship satisfaction. Could there be a common cause for both? Or maybe people like to hang out with healthier peers? No, the clear conclusion is that working on your relationships magically makes you healthier." 3. Inconsistent data collection: "Those '30s nincompoops were measuring skulls and handwriting. We'll stop doing that and take MRIs instead. But it's still the same study!" [1] https://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/weird/ https://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/weird/

mcguire 9y ago
"Psychiatrist George Vaillant, who joined the team as a researcher in 1966, led the study from 1972 until 2004. Trained as a psychoanalyst, Vaillant emphasized the role of relationships, and came to recognize the crucial role they played in people living long and pleasant lives." My first thought was that he found what he was looking for.
- PunchTornado 9y ago
  I guess that's the danger in social sciences.
  - minikites 9y ago
    That would _never_ happen in the hard sciences!
PunchTornado 9y ago
I don't see anything wrong with the subjects being predominantly male Harvard graduates. A healthy and happy life means something different for an African farmer or for an Oxford professor. Obviously this study is concerned about the later. I also imagine that back in the day there were far more male graduates at Harvard.

faragon 9y ago

Bertrand Russell already put most of that in a book in 1930: "The Conquest of Happiness" [1] [1] Some quotes: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Conquest_of_Happiness https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Conquest_of_Happiness

dolzenko 9y ago
Was always a fan of his essay "In Praise of Idleness" [1] but never bothered to check if he had more to say on the subject of happiness in general, interesting read, thank you! [1] http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html

deleted 9y ago

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polpenn 9y ago

Note that what they reportedly found is a stronger positive correlation between relationships and happiness than between money and fame and happiness (just based on the article): "Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives, the study revealed" So going after fame and money doesn't necessarily lead you to become unhappy (if we interpret the results as causal). Quality personal relationships just makes you even happier. Also, I'm curious to what extent cultivating meaningful relationship serves as a coping mechanism for people with little money or social status (alternatively, focusing on making money and acquiring high social status to compensate for poor personal relationship development skills). My impression, based on my observations from people I've met in developing countries, is that low income / social status people tend to have richer and active communities and personal relationships. High status individuals tend to be lonelier. But this could just be confirmation bias.

Dowwie 9y ago

"Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the revelation.”

elyrly 9y ago

Please take the time to actually read the book, this article doesn't do it justice. https://www.amazon.com/Triumphs-Experience-Harvard-Grant-Study/dp/0674503813 https://www.amazon.com/Triumphs-Experience-Harvard-Grant-Stu...

fernly 9y ago

I find this perfectly credible because almost exactly the same conclusions were stated by Putnam in the classic _Bowling Alone_ [1]. A couple of pull-quotes from that, > Dozens of painstaking studies... have established beyond reasonable doubt that ... [t]he more integrated we are with our community, the less likely we are to experience colds, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression and premature death of all sorts... > ... the positive contributions to health made by social integration and social support rival in strength the detrimental contributions of ... risk factors like ... smoking, obesity, elevated blood pressure, and physical inactivity. > ...as a rough rule of thumb, if you belong to no groups but decide to join one, you cut your risk of dying over the next year in half. Putnam was surveying a large number of studies, not just the Harvard one. [1] Putnam, Robert D, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community; https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046/ https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Commu...

rdudekul 9y ago

In Summary: Our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health. Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives, the study revealed. Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism. Good relationships don’t just protect our bodies; they protect our brains. The key to healthy aging is relationships...

Aron 9y ago

Let's all have a drink to that! Cheers!

narrator 9y ago
Actually, according to the study avoiding alcohol abuse was a key factor in long life and happiness. Too many people see the point of life as getting past all the crap they have to do to survive so they can get drunk on the weekend.

LoSboccacc 9y ago

Don't worry too much this study is bullshit Step 1 - be an adult white male graduated at the beginning of an unprecedented and unique economic boom Step 2 - graduate out of the most prominent college of the period Step 3 - watch your asset grow themselves Step 4 - enjoy the life without never have to worry about job security, housing, spending power Yeah no shit sherlock. I guess being upper middle class does wonder to one life. Meanwhile we have to contend with constant worry about our future, our kids future and one misstep in our career path can and will landslide into a life of regrets. And this study just say 'socialize' and everything else will magically go away.

ObeyTheGuts 9y ago
They also studied inner city gheto people dude, read before critique
MarkSweep 9y ago
From the article: "During the intervening decades, the control groups have expanded. In the 1970s, 456 Boston inner-city residents were enlisted as part of the Glueck Study, and 40 of them are still alive." "Those ties protect people from life’s discontents, help to delay mental and physical decline, and are better predictors of long and happy lives than social class, IQ, or even genes. That finding proved true across the board among both the Harvard men and the inner-city participants." The study control for the effects of class. That refutes some of your assertions.
- LoSboccacc 9y ago
  With baby boomers, sure, the second most privileged generation on earth. Hint: it's hard to develop a social life working 60 hours a week, vice versa, people that can afford a good living standard are more likely to have the time to socialize. This study does nothing to verify if their ipothesys is correlation, causation or coincidence (because, let's be honest, 500 ppl and without a control group?)
dang 9y ago
Please don't post snarky internet insta-dismissals to HN. They greatly lower the quality of discussion, even when they have some good points to make. There are several such posts in this thread and that's a problem. The entire genre of internet comments that dismiss the life-work of others with a contemptuous hand-wave is problematic. Critique is good, but it should seriously engage with what it is criticizing. That takes effort, for which nastiness is an ugly substitute. We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14816358 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14816358 and marked it off-topic.

Emilie656 9y ago

Im making over $7k a month working part time. I kept hearing other people tell me how much money they can make online so I decided to look into it. Well, it was all true and has totally changed my life. This is what I do... >http://ow.ly/iBXm30dNtIZ http://ow.ly/iBXm30dNtIZ

thegenius2000 9y ago

I don't mean to be offensive or inflammatory, but how is this a discovery? Yes, money and success don't buy you happiness; living in a complete community is healthy. How was this not completely obvious?

gourou 9y ago
Happiness is healthy seems to be their discovery

stewbrew 9y ago

The sad thing about this is, nothing of this is news. I did some health research in the 1990s and read tons of studies telling you the same things. One of the best predictors for subjective well-being was whether people had 3+ really close friends. IMHO there is something wrong with this kind of research that rehashes known facts but doesn't really go any deeper than what was already known before. My gratulations to the researchers involved for getting the funding for such a long running study.

Oras 9y ago
It was actually kind of new to me when I watched that video two years ago. However, I agree with your point for deeper details. I wondered about the circumstances of those people, the stability of country (war times etc) and many other factors that are not mentioned in the article or the video. Also, I assume the study is just in America which makes me ask if happiness is the same recipe for different people in different parts of the world.
graphitezepp 9y ago
Nothing new under the sun, most things our modern work in social sciences show was figured out by some ancient philosopher or religious leader or another it seems to me.

Lxr 9y ago

There's no mention of how they sort correlation from causation. Does being physically healthy perhaps also lead to happier relationships?

dajohnson89 9y ago
Besides health, might financial well-being also lead to healthier/happier relationships? If you're poor and have to work two full-time jobs, the precious free time you do have may not be easily allocated to socializing. And, many social hobbies require capital.

numbsafari 9y ago

A suggestion: take up a social hobby. I taught social dance for a number of years. This is a great avenue for expanding your social interactions, getting healthy, building self awareness... blah blah blah. There's a great Argentine Tango scene in SF, just sayin, folks. There's also joining a hiking group or a walking group. Great to get out, get active, and get social. Or engage with an after school program, or mentorship organization. You have, like, so many options.

mcableton 9y ago

This is a great article. I agree with the comments here that says working at home can really squish your mood. It makes me wonder about social security. I remember some comments here about if they got rid of it, grandma would have to move in. Well, according to this article, that might be the best thing for grandma! I work from home but have been staying with my in laws since we had a baby. It has been great for my mental health.

indescions_2017 9y ago

I've got a simple hack I employ when in a new city. All through my twenties, I moved basically every year or two. Most of the time I had a network of family or associates to drawn upon before arrival. But often, I'd find myself a complete stranger, knowing not a single soul. What I'd do is this: find a local diner, not a touristy place, but a real local institution and landmark. And then eat dinner there every single night at the same time. If constrained budget wise, look for the early bird dinner specials. Become a regular. Trade gossip with the wait-staff, complement the cooks on their sublime creations, chat up the little old ladies, engage the workmen about their craft. After a few weeks you'll find yourself invited to birthday parties and have the opportunity to give back your own time and energy, shovelling a driveway or helping out at a food drive. A summer time variant: farmers markets. They typically have the same vendors every week and will remember you if you purchase a quart of organic honey and ask with genuine interest questions about their practise. Offer to get them started on Facebook / Shopify. Pretty soon, word spreads and you're no longer a stranger in town!

visakanv 9y ago
That's a really cool story. I'd love to read about your experiences in greater detail. Any chance you might have a blog?
Broken_Hippo 9y ago
This also works in places like gas stations (try to visit the same ones), grocery stores if you go 1+ times a week, and sometimes coffee shops and fast food joints, especially in smaller towns. It takes a little longer, but a popular walking path can grant good results as well. Basically anything routine where you are likely to run into the same folks over and over.
- ghthor 9y ago
  This is also the trick to building healthy online communities, running into the same people over and over again. It's the difference between a toxic flamewar culture and a positive supportive culture.
9y ago

Strategizer 9y ago

Assuming that good relationships imply good aging, I'd like to know how do they work. How much would differ a long relationship from 2 middle relationships to 7 short relationships? If there's already any study about it, please share it with me, I'd love to read it!