The Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Happiness and health are within our reach. Only if you could reach out.

In 1938, psychologists initiated a long-term investigation known as the 'Grant Study,' which monitored the well-being of 268 Harvard sophomores, including future President John F. Kennedy. This extensive study spanned over 80 years, accumulating vast amounts of data concerning the participants' physical and mental health. As time progressed, their descendants, totaling more than a thousand individuals, were incorporated into the study, along with a control group of over 400 inner-city residents.

This study had only one major conclusion: Close relationships, rather than money or fame, are people's primary source of lifelong happiness. Close ties protect

people in times of adversity and help delay the onset of physical and mental decline. Close ties predict long and happy lives more than your social class, IQ, or genetic factors. This was true for the Harvard men and the inner-city residents. Research published in 2016 on 9000 cancer patients found that women who lacked social connections faced significantly higher risks of recurrence or death: they had

a 43% higher chance of experiencing breast cancer recurrence, 64% higher likelihood of death from cancer, and 69% more chances of death from any cause. Another study of breast cancer patients published in 2006 found that those without close friends had a significantly higher chance of death from cancer than those with a friend circle of at least ten friends. Another study involving 736 men revealed that having friends lowered the likelihood of encountering heart problems. Interestingly, a spouse or a romantic partner didn't make any difference to the outcomes —it was the presence of friends that made the difference.

In one of the classic studies in the field of sociology in the late nineteenth century, Emile Durkheim, known as one of its founders, found out that suicide rates were higher among people who lived alone. When bound by families or social connections, people are less likely to die by suicide. Since then, researchers have been showing that people who live the longest and face adversities with resilience are those with strong bonds and attachments with others. They also experience a better quality of life and better life satisfaction.

There is no doubt about this in scientific circles: the secret to a long and happy life is our relationships. But alas, worldwide bonds are being broken, and people are increasingly becoming lonely.

Can we reverse this tide?