What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life? The clearest message that we got from a 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.
The first is that social connections are really good for us, and that loneliness kills. It turns out that people who are more socially connected to others are happier. On the contrary, the experience of loneliness turns out to be harmful. There are some people who are more lonely than they want to be. They find that they are less happy, their health declines earlier in midlife, and they live shorter lives than people who are not lonely.
And we know that you can be lonely in a crowd and you can be lonely in a marriage. So the second big lesson that we learned is that it's not just the number of friends you have, and it's not whether or not you're in a committed relationship, but it's the quality of your close relationships that matters. High-conflict marriages, for example, without much love, turn out to be very bad for our health.
And the third big lesson that we learned about relationships is that good relationships don't just protect our bodies, they protect our brains. It turns out that being in a securely attached relationship is protective. Many people are in relationships where they can get help from the other persons in times of need.
So, good and close relationships are good for our health and well-being. This is wisdom that's as old as the hills. Now, ask yourself a question: If you were going to invest now in your future best self, where would you put your time and your energy?
A. These people's memories stay sharper and longer.
B. We've learned three big lessons about relationships.
C. That is to say, the good life is built with good relationships.
D. What's more, they're physically healthier, and they live longer.
E. It turns out that living in the conflict is really bad for our health.
F. They will surprisingly find that this relationship cause mental decline.
G. People living in loneliness are either in sorrow or terrible health condition.
