What is the Secret to Living a Long and Happy Life?

By Maxine Roeper Cohen, M.S.

This intriguing question has been investigated during the past seventy-five years in a longitudinal (long range) study entitled “The Study of Adult Development” by lead researchers Grant and Glueck at Harvard University. This multi-generational study was begun in the 1930’s with two groups of adult male participants. The Grant study involved 268 Harvard graduates from the classes of 1939-1944. The Glueck study involved 456 men who had grown up in a poor inner-city neighborhood of Boston during the same time period. The study followed these two groups for 75 years in order to identify psychological and social predictors of healthy aging. Methods used to determine these influences included interviews with the subjects and their families, medical examinations, blood analyses, and brain scans. 

The findings are fascinating! The “secret’ to a long and healthy life for both groups of men was finding and nurturing relationships throughout the life span. People who have more social connections (be it with family and/or friends) are happier, are physically healthier, and live longer when compared to those individuals who lack such social interactions and support systems. Loneliness can be devastating, and the intense feeling of isolation causes brain function to decline sooner. Loneliness also lessens happiness which can eventually lead to a shorter life span. 

What factor does marriage play in this study? It was found that in a good marriage life is not rosy all the time. There are ups and downs. Couples argue and that is to be expected. It is the quality of the overall marital relationship that sustains most individuals, and fills their needs of connection, understanding and love. It was found that the keys to marital happiness are mutual respect, trust, and commitment. A good marital relationship predicted future health through the life span. 

What can we learn from this study? We all need to look for social connections in our daily lives. Friends are important at all stages of our lives, and especially as we reach advanced age. We need to nurture positive relationships with our family and friends, at work, at places of worship, and through our daily activities. The quality of our health and length of our life span depend on these satisfying and mutually beneficial connections.  

Interestingly, researchers are beginning to study the children of the original participants in a “Second Generation Study.” Even in this age of technology, I believe the human element will always be most important!

Maxine Roeper Cohen is a Parent Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at mc333@cornell.edu.