- Money and achievements do not necessarily lead to happiness: According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has been running since 1938, badges of achievement do not make people happier. However, doing meaningful work can.
- Money plays a role in happiness, but it's not everything: A famous study from 2010 found that above an income of 5,000 a year, there is no improvement in emotional wellbeing. However, a more recent study found that higher incomes correspond to higher levels of wellbeing.
- Taking care of physical health is important for happiness and longevity: The Harvard Study found that if people take care of their physical health, it has huge benefits not just for their longevity, but for how long they stay healthy. This includes eating well, getting regular exercise, not abusing alcohol or drugs, not smoking, and getting preventive healthcare.
- Relationships are key to happiness and health: The Harvard Study also found that relationships are incredibly important for human happiness and health. In fact, researchers found that relationships, not just keeping us happier, but keeping us healthier and helping us live longer.
- A Taiwanese study found that people who exercised just 15 minutes a day had a 14% reduced risk of dying, and a three year longer life expectancy.
- A meta-analysis from 2008 confirms that people who are physically active have a reduced risk of dying during the timeframes investigated in each study.
- Exercise also protects our cognitive health. A meta-analysis from 2014 found that participants with higher levels of physical activity had a 35% reduced risk of cognitive decline and a 14% reduced risk of dementia.
- Social connections are crucial for survival: A meta-analysis from 2010 found that people with stronger social connections had a 50% increased likelihood of survival for any given year.
- Marriage has a large impact on how long people live: According to a study, married men live 12 years longer on average than unmarried men and married women live seven years longer on average than unmarried women.
- Feeling disconnected from others has real consequences: A meta-analysis from 2016 found that poor social relationships were associated with a 29% increase in risk of heart disease and a 32% increase in risk of stroke.
- Loneliness is on the rise: According to a researcher from the University of Utah, being lonely is as dangerous to your health as smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, or as dangerous as being obese. Feeling disconnected from others also makes you more prone to disease.
- Relationships are emotional regulators and stress regulators: The best hypothesis for why relationships are so healthful is that they are emotion and stress regulators. People who are isolated are more likely to stay in a chronic fight-or-flight mode, which can lead to higher levels of circulating cortisol, higher levels of chronic inflammation, and a breakdown of multiple body systems.
- The key to preventing this breakdown is simple: Spend a little more time with the people you care about. Unfortunately, we seem to be doing the exact opposite.
Sources:
- "The Surprising Science of Happiness" | TED Talk by Dan Gilbert
- "The longest study on happiness reveal the factors that lead to a fulfilling life" | Article by Insider
- "Relationships and Wellbeing" | Article by Harvard Medical School
- "How Social Isolation Is Killing Us" | Article by The Washington Post
- "The Lethality of Loneliness" | Article by The New York Times
- "Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review" | Article by Perspectives on Psychological Science
- "The Health Effects of Social Isolation" | Article by American Psychological Association
- "Is Loneliness a Health Risk?" | Article by The New York Times
- "The Association Between Social Relationships and Health" | Article by American Journal of Public Health
- "The Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness on Health and Well-Being" | Article by American Journal of Public Health
- "The Health Effects of Loneliness" | Article by Time Magazine
- "The Harmful Health Effects of Social Isolation" | Article by Healthline
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