Life can be hard at times, there's no denying that. With modern medicine and hygiene come longer lifespans. What can we do now to increase our chances of being happy when we're old?
Arthur C Brooks, a professor of management practice at Harvard, wrote an article in The Atlantic in February discussing how, much like a retirement account, if we invest in our happiness today, we should reap even more of its benefits in the future. His advice on what we should do now to be happier in our golden years is based on longitudinal studies from Harvard Medical School.
In 1938, Harvard researchers started the Harvard Study of Adult Development. Initially, they collected data on male Harvard students looking at lifestyles, habits, relationships, work, and happiness. Harvard eventually expanded the study beyond men at Harvard and has now documented life trajectories for over 80 years.
Brooks states there are two distinct extremes from this study. One is the elderly "happy-well" who are physically and mentally healthy. You could say they have a high life satisfaction. On the other extreme are the elderly "sad-sick" who are below average in physical and mental health and life satisfaction.
What seemed to account for the differences? Some were things we don't have control over: a good childhood, good genes from long-lived relatives, and the luck to not have clinical depression. But others were habits started from youth.
Here are the seven habits for successful aging based on a study that used data from the Harvard study that Brooks says differentiate the "happy-well" from the "sad-sick":
1) Don't smoke.
2) Don't abuse alcohol.
3) Keep your body weight within a healthy range long term
4) Get moving. Exercise every day over many years. This includes walking.
5) Learn to cope. Life is inevitably stressful, so know how to deal with it. Helpful ways to do so may include religion or spirituality, therapy, avoiding rumination, checking unhealthy emotional reactions, and not avoiding things you're afraid of.
6) Keep your mind sharp by seeking out learning opportunities. Make time for lifelong learning on topics of interest.
7) Develop meaningful relationships early on with the intent of keeping them long term. This isn't limited to marriage. Strengthen your relationships with your family and friends.
Out of these seven habits, according to the Harvard study, there is one that leads to happiness the most often. Brooks says, "If you can choose only one to pour your heart into, let it be the last."
Sources: The Atlantic, Am J Psychiatry