#39: The Secret to Happiness, Health and Longevity

Adding an extra dose of behavioral science to your week with our series In a Nutshell— a collection of behavioral science principles, explained in 150 words or less, written weekly by CUBIC director Allison Zelkowitz.

Pop quiz!

According to Harvard’s 85-year study, what is the #1 secret to a long and happy life?

A.      Healthy diet

B.      Exercise

C.      Exposure to nature

D.      Positive relationships

As explained by the study’s director, psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, in his Ted Talk, after researchers followed 724 youth from 1938 until now, their main learning was clear: “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier, period.”

Yet their finding is not unique – a meta-analysis of 148 studies determined that strong social connections increased human survival rates by over 50 percent.

As the book about the Harvard study, The Good Life and How to Live It, concludes: “Recognize that the good life is not a destination. It is the path itself, and the people who are walking it with you… Year by year you can find purpose and meaning through the lives you enrich and the relationships you cultivate.”