The Harvard Study of Adult Development, a 75-year study, tracked the lives of 724 men from their teenage years into old age to determine what keeps people happy and healthy. The study found that good relationships with family, friends, and community are the key to a long and fulfilling life, not wealth, fame, or professional success. The study's findings include:
* Social connections are essential for happiness and physical health
* Loneliness is toxic and can lead to earlier health decline and shorter lifespan
* The quality of close relationships, not the number of friends or being in a committed relationship, is what matters
* Good relationships can buffer against the negative effects of aging and protect against memory decline
The study's director emphasizes that relationships are messy and require effort, but they are essential for a good life. The study's findings suggest that people should prioritize building and maintaining strong relationships throughout their lives to achieve happiness and well-being.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. A recent survey of millennials found that over 80% of respondents said a major life goal was to get rich.
2. Another 50% of the same young adults said another major life goal was to become famous.
3. The Harvard Study of Adult Development is a 75-year study that has tracked the lives of 724 men.
4. The study began in 1938 and has followed two groups of men: a group of Harvard College sophomores and a group of boys from Boston's poorest neighborhoods.
5. The study has found that good relationships keep people happier and healthier.
6. Social connections are good for people's health and well-being, and loneliness can be toxic.
7. People who are more socially connected to family, friends, and community are happier, physically healthier, and live longer.
8. The experience of loneliness can lead to earlier health decline, brain functioning decline, and shorter lives.
9. More than one in five Americans report feeling lonely at any given time.
10. The quality of close relationships, not just the number of friends or whether someone is in a committed relationship, is what matters for health and well-being.
11. High-conflict marriages without much affection can be bad for health, perhaps worse than getting divorced.
12. Living in the midst of good, warm relationships is protective of health.
13. Good relationships can buffer people from some of the negative effects of getting old.
14. The people who were most satisfied in their relationships at age 50 were the healthiest at age 80.
15. Good relationships don't just protect people's bodies, they also protect their brains.
16. Being in a securely attached relationship in old age is protective of memory.
17. The people in relationships where they feel they can count on the other person in times of need have sharper memories that last longer.
18. The study has found that wealth, fame, and working harder do not necessarily lead to greater health and happiness.