In 1938, Harvard researchers began a study that, unbeknownst to them, would become the longest study of adult life that has ever been conducted.
The First Generation
Beginning in 1938, the study followed the lives of two groups of men.The first was a group of 268 sophomores at Harvard University—young men who lived through the great depression and finished college during World War II.
The second group was made up of 456 boys from some of Boston’s poorest neighborhoods. The study chose these boys because they came from the most underprivileged families in Boston—many living in tenements without hot and cold water.
There were 724 men in total.
The Second Generation
The study, which has now spanned four generations, has recently added more than 2000 children of the original men to their research. This new phase of the project aims to examine how experiences in early childhood affect health and aging over time.
More than a decade ago, the study began including the wives of both groups of men, expanding their reach and deepening their understanding of what leads to a happy, fulfilling life.
What the Study Revealed: Insights Into How to Have a Happy Life
In a 2015 TED talk, Robert Waldinger, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the study’s fourth director, said the most important thing they learned from this study was that good relationships keep us healthier and happier. More than cholesterol or blood pressure, the relationships in the men’s lives were the most significant predictor of a healthy, happy life.Relationships Are Key
Most of us are taught that working hard, going to good schools, having a successful career, and making a lot of money are things we should pursue to have a “good” life. However, in discussions about living well and being happy, we sometimes neglect to speak about cultivating strong relationships, being kind, and the importance of family.According to Mr. Waldinger, they learned some vital lessons about relationships by studying these men’s lives as they unfolded. The first is that social connections are good for us and that loneliness is detrimental to our mental and physical health. People with more social relationships are happier, have better health, and live longer. Conversely, those who are more isolated experience the opposite effects—they’re less happy, and their health, including brain function, declines earlier. They also die sooner than those who are more socially connected.
But before we all flood onto social media to start adding friends with newfound enthusiasm, the study found that when it comes to relationships, it’s not quantity but quality that matters. It’s feeling like someone, whether a friend, spouse, or family member, has your back when you need him or her most. The study also found that being in supportive, loving relationships protects our health, whereas living amid conflict has terrible consequences for our health and well-being.
Why This Matters
The importance of good relationships to our health and well-being isn’t a new discovery—ancient cultures knew well the benefits of healthy, loving relationships and building strong communities. But as our societies have changed and most of us no longer live in small, tight-knit groups like our ancestors, we’ve largely lost these social connections and increasingly rely on technology to fill the gap and help us stay connected in a world where more and more people feel isolated and alone.Loneliness
During the emergence of COVID-19, there was an alarming rise in loneliness because of social distancing, business closures, and lockdowns. Unfortunately, the problem has persisted and is especially prevalent in young adults and those in lower-income homes, according to a Gallup Panel of 5,167 U.S. adults. Seventeen percent of U.S. adults reported feeling lonely most of the day before they were polled in early 2023. For those in households earning less than $24,000 per year, 27 percent reported feeling lonely, and 24 percent of young adults younger than age 30 reported feelings of loneliness.
How to Create Strong Relationships
Although creating solid, lasting relationships is vital to our health and well-being, it isn’t always easy. Relationships can be complicated, tumultuous, and messy, but with some nurturing, they can flourish and last a lifetime.- Make time every week to talk to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Go for coffee or have lunch with friends regularly.
- Make a list of the friends you haven’t talked to in a while and write them a note or call them to reconnect.
- When you’re out doing errands, smile and say hello to the people ringing up your groceries or serving you in a restaurant; it'll give you a boost and will likely do the same for them.
- Prioritize the people you love most, and do things to show them how much you appreciate them.
- Instead of watching movies or TV with your significant other, go for a walk or out to dinner.
- If you come across a photo or think of a funny memory you shared with a friend or family member, call that person and tell him or her—you'll both have a laugh and strengthen your bond simultaneously.
- Volunteer at a hospital, retirement home, homeless shelter, or animal rescue.
- Take a class or join a club to meet new people with shared interests and expand your social circle.
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