Lessons from Harvard Long Term Study on Happiness

More than 2,000 people were followed for 80 years, focusing on identifying the psychosocial predictors of healthy aging.

Two groups of participants: Grant Study composed of 268 Harvard graduates from the classes of 1939-1944 and Glueck Study group made up of 456 men who grew up in the inner-city neighborhoods of Boston were followed for eighty plus years.

Participants were placed in two categories later on in their lives: "Happy-Well" and "Sad-Sick."

The Grant study found that there are seven habits that result in individuals being happy and well in older age rather than ending up sad and sick.

Two factors most correlated with well-being and happiness were participants taking care of their health and building loving relationships with others.

Good relationships were the most significant predictor of health and happiness. The study revealed that those who were happiest were not isolated. They valued and fostered relationships. “Levels of education and cultural awareness, which tend to be higher among those with higher salaries, were also important factors for adopting healthy habits (promoted more often as of the 1960s) and for better access to health care.” Note that “professional success on its own does not guarantee happiness, even though it may be gratifying.”

Two important concepts to consider: Social skills contribute to resilience. Happiness is not constant!

“Social media almost always shows the positive side of people’s lives and suggests that everyone lives worry-free. The truth is that no one’s life is free of difficulties and challenges. It is never too late for a turnaround and for people to change their lives through new relationships and experiences.”

Loneliness creates challenges when dealing with stressful situations. It is essential to have someone with whom to vent. One principal investigator (Waldinger) recommends assessing how to foster, strengthen, and broaden relationships. He calls this “maintaining social connections and, just as with physical fitness, it requires constant practice. Friendships and relationships need regular commitment to keep them from fizzling out. A simple telephone call can help. Participating in activities that bring joy and encourage camaraderie, such as sports, hobbies, and volunteer work, may broaden the relationship network.”

This long-term study highlights the importance of having social skills and always cultivating our relationships to help us become healthier, overcome challenging moments, and achieve the happiness that we all desire.

Based on the study's findings, the following seven practices are behaviors that appear to lead to happiness and good health:

1. Not smoking
2. Avoiding alcohol abuse
3. Maintaining a healthy body weight
4. Exercising daily
5. Adopting an adaptive coping style
6. Fostering a growth mindset-investment in education or the practices of lifelong learning
7. Maintaining stable, long-term friendships and loving relationships.

“A successful old age may lie not so much in our stars and genes as in ourselves."

Main take-away point: positive relationships are the key to happiness, health, and longevity; it is not career achievement, money, exercise, or a healthy diet.

Sources

• https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/datacollection
• https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2001/06/how-to-be-happy-and-well-rather-than-sadand-sick/