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Good morning, 66.1ers.
This week’s overview
A deep dive into the power of relationships to extend your lifespan
Tips on how to build rich relationships at all stages of life
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Housekeeping
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Setting the scene
The health and fitness scene can get pretty hung up on the latest test, supplement, or exercise to help you live longer. And that’s not wrong—these tools all have their place. But there’s one longevity pillar that continuously flies under the radar, and it’s worth revisiting.
You don’t need a blood test or a doctor’s appointment for this one. All you need is an hour in your calendar to hang out with a friend, family member, or your partner.
Let’s explore the powerfully positive impact healthy relationships can have on your longevity.
The study to end all studies
In 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development began studying what makes people live longer, healthier lives. They’re still at it today, led by Dr. Robert Waldinger. Initially, the study tracked 268 subjects but has now expanded to the subjects’ offspring, a total of more than 1,300 people. More than 1,500 people studied in total.
Some of the study’s findings are predictable: exercise and healthy eating, for example, help you live longer. Smoking and drinking alcohol, on the other hand, shorten your lifespan.
One finding caught me off guard the first time I read it, though.
What we know
According to Dr. Waldinger, the best predictor of healthy aging isn’t cholesterol levels.
It’s how satisfied people are in their relationships.
Some interesting examples from the study:
Women in healthy romantic partnerships reported greater happiness in life.
They also had better memory function and lower frequencies of depression.
People with happy marriages in their 80s are happy even on days when they experience physical pain.
Those with unhappy marriages felt more pain, physically and emotionally.
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According to an article from Stanford, “the risk of death due to lack of social connection was approximately equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and consuming excessive alcohol.”
According to this study from Holt-Lunstad et. al., “individuals with adequate social relationships have a 50% greater likelihood of survival compared to those with poor or insufficient social relationships.”
So, yes, it really is life or death.
“Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism.”
—Dr. Robert Waldinger
Not just a feel good drug
That loneliness quote might sound like hyperbole, but when we look at the data, we see that Dr. Waldinger wasn’t exaggerating. The chart below, from this study by Yang et. al. shows the danger of loneliness.
Visual from Yang et. al. showing the correlation between social integration and various health threats
A few points worth noting: log(CRP) is a measure of the c-reactive protein levels in your blood. More CRP in your blood is an indication of inflammation. And inflammation is a risk factor for darn near every chronic disease. It’s safe to say that higher levels of CRP are not going to extend your life.
Notably, the effect of social integration on blood pressure is most profound in later adulthood. Remember last week’s article on salt? It seems that a rich social life, combined with a diet low in processed foods, could really put a nice dent in your blood pressure.
Waist circumference doesn’t have any surprises.
BMI, on the other hand, has the only positive correlation with social integration, seen in older adults. More on this a little later (I don’t think it’s a coincidence).
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