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Unveiling the Science Behind Everlasting Happiness - Secrets Revealed!
After nearly 80 years of tracking the surviving men from Harvard in what's called the "Harvard Study of Adult Development," researchers have gathered loads of information about their physical and mental health.
Out of the original Harvard group, only 19 guys are still around, all in their mid-90s.
Some big names like President John F. Kennedy and Ben Bradlee from the Washington Post were part of this bunch. (Back then, the study only included men since the College was all-male.)
As time went on, scientists included the men's kids in the research—1,300 of them now in their 50s and 60s.
They wanted to see how early experiences affect health and aging. Some of these kids became successful professionals, while others faced challenges like schizophrenia or alcoholism. But these paths weren't set in stone.
The study groups grew over the years. In the '70s, 456 folks from Boston's inner city joined the Glueck Study, and 40 are still alive.
Later on, researchers also involved the wives of those in the Grant and Glueck studies.
What do I need to know?
The researchers have been digging into how these people's health and lives changed over time—looking at their successes, failures in careers and marriage, and more.
The discoveries haven't just amazed the researchers themselves.
Robert Waldinger, who heads the study, pointed out a surprising find - our relationships and how happy we are in them really impact our health.
Sure, taking care of your body matters, but taking care of relationships is a form of self-care too.
That, he thinks, is a big realization from all this research.
This article originally appeared in the Psych email newsletter.