One of the Best Predictors of a Long, Healthy Life

The longevity industry is growing fast. I guess I’m kind of caught up in that wave. It’s not just that I want all my assisted living residents to live to 100 (I do). It’s that I’m into improving their ‘healthspan’ and not just their lifespan.

This drive to live forever has pushed people to obsess over their health. Lots of people I know are watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts and asking each other:

“Have your heard of [insert expert here]? He/she has some really good ideas for your condition.”

We try to find the best lifestyle improvements to sustain a long life:

• Diets

• Exercise

• Supplements

• Technology to track our biomarkers

• Lab tests

• Better sleep

• Activities such as saunas and cold plunges

All good stuff. Maybe not enough.

When we’re young, lots of us have a drive to become rich and successful. As we age our drive turns to longevity.

There is one key ingredient that often goes overlooked. An ingredient that may be more important than all these other factors.

Relationships.

There was a Harvard study started back in 1938. They tracked 268 sophomores at the famous university to see what would happen to them as time moved on. They also started tracking 456 young men from one of the poorest areas of Boston for comparison.

They’re still tracking them. At least the ones that are left alive. As of 2024, there are about 19 left from the total of both groups. The study is in its 87th year.  The study is now tracking the spouses and the children of these original men.

The study found the following factors made the largest differences when it came to longevity:

• Physical activity

• No alcohol abuse or smoking

• Having mature ways to deal with life’s ups and downs

• Healthy weight

• Stable marriage

For the poor men, the level of education also made a difference. However, the more education these men had, the more likely they would be to engage in the other behaviors. So it may be tough to say it was education alone.

Psychiatrist George Valliant, who led the research team from 1972-2004, wrote a book on the study called ‘Aging Well’.

He emphasized the key to healthy aging consists of three factors:

• Relationships

• Relationships

• Relationships

It is that important. The study suggested that the quality of your relationships when you’re in your 50’s is more important than any bio-marker you have for predicting longevity.

More important for your health span.

More important for your mood and ability to cope with the physical issues that old age brings

More important for having a sharp mind and good memory into your old age.

They also found that if you had some bad relationships when you’re younger, you can still recover as you age if you can find people that become close to you.

Even if you bicker with these people from time to time it’s ok. As long as you feel like you can depend on them when times become tough. That’s what matters.

So when you think something is more important than relationships with those close to you, please think again. If you don’t have a lot of strong relationships, maybe it’s time to start cultivating them?

Here’s a TED talk given by the fourth director of the study (yes it has lasted through four directors).