An 80-year-long Harvard study claims to have found the secret to health and happiness

Guest Post by Quetin Fottrell

This study started tracking 268 Harvard sophomores in 1938 during the Great Depression

Click to visit the TBP Store for Great TBP Merchandise

There are some things that money can’t buy. True friends and happiness are among them. In fact, an 80-year-long study at Harvard University claims good pals are the key to a happy life.

Scientists began tracking the health of 268 Harvard sophomores in 1938, and have continued the study over the past eight decades. The original participants included President John F. Kennedy and longtime Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, according to the Harvard Gazette. The study originally only included men, as Harvard didn’t not admit women at that time, but the ongoing research has expanded, and now includes 1,300 of the original participants offspring. In the 1970s, 456 Boston inner-city residents were also included in the study.

-----------------------------------------------------
It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal

-----------------------------------------------------
To donate via Stripe, click here.
-----------------------------------------------------
Use promo code ILMF2, and save up to 66% on all MyPillow purchases. (The Burning Platform benefits when you use this promo code.)

“The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health,” Robert Waldinger, director of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, told the Harvard Gazette. “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.” That, he said, is more important than money or fame. “Loneliness kills,” he added. “It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism.”

This is backed up by previous research on the subject. Loneliness is actually considered a public health hazard just like obesity, separate research presented at the American Psychological Association annual conference last year found. It analyzed 148 studies, covering 300,000 participants. People with greater social connections had a 50% reduced risk of dying early. Other research involving 70 studies and 3.4 million people in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia concluded that social isolation, loneliness or living alone were all linked to premature death.

Still, other studies suggest money helps. Psychologists from Purdue University and the University of Virginia analyzed World Gallup Poll data from 1.7 million people in 164 countries, and cross-referenced their earnings and life satisfaction. Although the cost and standard of living varies across these countries, researchers came up with a bold conclusion: The ideal income for individuals is $95,000 a year for life satisfaction and $60,000 to $75,000 a year for emotional well-being. Families with children, of course, will need more.

In fact, the risk of dying earlier jumps 50% when you have a sudden loss of wealth, according to a 20-year study of 8,000 adults 50 years and older released earlier this month by Northwestern Medicine and the University of Michigan. Some theories as to why: Medical care becomes less affordable and the ability to pursue one’s dreams and explore further education may also be impacted by a sudden loss of wealth. What’s more, a sudden loss of wealth could also lead to more social isolation and the inability to afford to travel and do the same kinds of things with friends.

And yet isolating ourselves from others with technology can have long-term effects. Sixth grade children who spent five days at a summer camp without technology had significantly improved emotional cognition — recognizing different emotions on others — than those who spent 4.5 hours a day at home texting, watching TV and gaming, a 2014 study of 100 kids published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. Understanding emotion and socialization skills are critical, says Yalda Uhls, co-author and senior researcher at the Children’s Digital Media Center at UCLA.

20
Leave a Reply

avatar
  Subscribe  
Notify of
Iska Waran
Iska Waran

From participant John F Kennedy we learned that the key to happiness is keeping the getting assassinated down to a bare minimum.

TC
TC

Dunno; pretty tough to not get blackpilled into depression anymore.

comment image:large

Alfred1860
Alfred1860

This was a tough pill for me to swallow, when I made this discovery about a decade or so ago. Fortunately, around the same time I also discovered that I and I alone am in control of my own happiness and state of mind. Whether we realize it or not, we all have full control over how we react to any given situation. Making the conscious decision to choose forgiveness over resentment and blame, compassion over contempt, generosity over greed, thrift over ostentation, etc. all add up over time to substantially improve how you experience your own life. Life will never be perfect, and even in the current drain-circling that is our Western lifestyle there are still literally billions of people on earth that are holding a shittier hand of cards than what we’ve been dealt.

That in no way means we should accept or be satisfied with being treated as a commodity for elites to manipulate, but aside from living a life of virtue and truth I can’t say there is any effective way to combat this. The wheel keeps on turning.

Bob P
Bob P

My research has led me to conclude the keys to happiness are everyday sorts of things like sex with a beautiful woman (I’ve been unhappy lately), a cinnabon for dinner, good whiskey for dessert, the Blue Jays beating the Yankees, and, of course, a good shit.

Ouirphuqd
Ouirphuqd

The bowels and their healthy function are true happiness, walking away watching the cigar shape disappearing into septic tank heaven is blissful. Other than that, if you’re retired like me, play golf, get in leagues and tournaments, handicaps work in your favor, you meet great people on a golf course. After a few holes you figure them out by the way they play the game. You have a great shot and you come back for more. Go to church, mosque or synagogue, keep in touch with the elderly, they know how they got to their age. Volunteer, volunteer,volunteer, the littlest sevice you provide to others may not seem appreciated, but it is true wealth. Hold a door for someone is a simple act of kindness and it shows humility on your part. I don’t know what perfect happiness is, but it’s always a work in progress!

DRUD
DRUD

Fuck every last one of you.

Neuday
Neuday

Is that how Allahu Ackbar translates to English?

DRUD
DRUD

Oh…come on….that was funny. Its kinda my catch phrase… and it’s basically TBP for “hello.”

Zarathustra

Here is my 50 year study conclusions:

A happy life depends upon lots of pussy, a job you enjoy, good friends and a good dog.

That will be $5,000,000.00, please.

Neuday
Neuday

Sounds like all you need is a friendly dog often in need of a hosing.

hardscrabble farmer

You left out good food and books, otherwise you nailed it.

Vodka
Vodka

A “study” of Harvard students that you would use to extrapolate conclusions about an entire nation is the equivalent of extrapolating from a “study” of poor, rural Mississippi. Bogus from the start.

Mark
Mark

Haaaavard….breeding ground for the CIA…so basically an intellectual cesspool.

22winmag - refugee from ZeroHedge who just couldn't take the explosion of doom porn and the avalanche of near-hourly Bitcoin stories
22winmag - refugee from ZeroHedge who just couldn't take the explosion of doom porn and the avalanche of near-hourly Bitcoin stories

I stopped reading at “Harvard”.

Bunch of pseudo-intellectual whores for rent to the highest bidder.

Wip
Wip

What I need the most in life is hope. More specifically, hope in achieving my endeavors. But I certainly agree that friends and a good woman are a BIG plus as well.

Boat Guy
Boat Guy

$95 grand a year is a path to a better healthier happier longer life WELL NO SHIT ! So for our nation to be healthier and happier minimum wage needs to be $45 an hour wit a 40 hour work week !
Ya sure that will happen …
I guess our government and all business people just don’t care about our fragile emotional state .
My I hope no one does something drastic like fucking snap when their retirement and social security is totally fucked out from under them . Life could get ugly for lots of people !
Oh that already happened , never mind !

BUCKHED
BUCKHED

I did a three year study at the College of Charleston…a place that had 6 girls to 1 guy. I found that happiness was being like a rabbit….jumping from hole to hole. Oh and booze too .

bob
bob

Don’t underestimate the value of a good dog in the happiness equation. And keeping one’s side of the street clean as best one is able. And any offspring of farm animals. And breakfast for dinner once in a while I guess.

pyrrhus
pyrrhus

It’s really important to make friends with the people who might assassinate or impeach you….As Trump is finding out…

Gerold

I did a 67 year study and determined if the entire human race disappeared I’d be the happiest sonofabitch in all creation. I’d have a one-man party.

Discover more from The Burning Platform

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading