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80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

news.harvard.edu

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Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#42
post #41

Let's all have a drink to that! Cheers!

Actually, according to the study avoiding alcohol abuse was a key factor in long life and happiness.

Too many people see the point of life as getting past all the crap they have to do to survive so they can get drunk on the weekend.

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#43
post #17

This reads like someone consciously decided "Hey, let's build the ultimate poster boy for bad statistical studies!". 1. Sample bias : "Why just study WEIRD [1] subjects? Let's do male Harvard graduates!" (Yes, half the study included inner city men, and one eighth of the duration featured women. It's still super heavily biased towards Harvard men.) 2. Correlation is not causation : "Hmm, health is correlated with rel…

I don't see anything wrong with the subjects being predominantly male Harvard graduates. A healthy and happy life means something different for an African farmer or for an Oxford professor. Obviously this study is concerned about the later. I also imagine that back in the day there were far more male graduates at Harvard.

Except that people are generalizing from that to all humans, starting with the subtitle of the article we're discussing.

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its not too late! Socialize more, exercise everyday, and take something for depression! Learn new things, I had a rough spell a few years ago which took its toll. Now what I find is I have to walk the razors edge everyday. Make sure I sleep enough, eat right (low carb and fasting), exercise twice a day. If I dont I start to lose the edge.

Absolutely! I should mention that I have already covered the basics, which is why I strongly believe this is a social problem. I have: - Seen a doctor, gotten blood tests done, and verified all is "normal" - Eaten very healthy, home cooked meals since I started WFH. - Exercise 4-5 times a week. I am in "good" shape, and I am looking at registering to run my first marathon soon. - Drink lots of water. Mostly avoid alc…

Consistent sleep is very important too.

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#45

What I take from this article is that social interaction is extremely important to ones health, and it's something that we largely taken for granted. In the age of computers and secluded work environments, I think we need to be aware of the effect that even casual interaction has on our mental and physical health. I have some personal/anecdotal experience which back this research up and affirms my belief that communi…

Its not too late! Socialize more, exercise everyday, and take something for depression! Learn new things, I had a rough spell a few years ago which took its toll. Now what I find is I have to walk the razors edge everyday. Make sure I sleep enough, eat right (low carb and fasting), exercise twice a day. If I dont I start to lose the edge.

>"Take something for depression"

What happy pills do you recommend?

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#46
post #34

What I take from this article is that social interaction is extremely important to ones health, and it's something that we largely taken for granted. In the age of computers and secluded work environments, I think we need to be aware of the effect that even casual interaction has on our mental and physical health. I have some personal/anecdotal experience which back this research up and affirms my belief that communi…

You just described my life with uncanny accuracy. I have suspected for some time that my problems were due to social isolation, but I have been too apathetic to make an effort to do anything. You've just given me the motivation to change that. Thank you!

I wish there were a Tinder for friends. It's a shame no one would use it.

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#47
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You just described my life with uncanny accuracy. I have suspected for some time that my problems were due to social isolation, but I have been too apathetic to make an effort to do anything. You've just given me the motivation to change that. Thank you!

I wish there were a Tinder for friends. It's a shame no one would use it.

There is, but it's called meetup.com. You don't have to just go to tech/networking meetups, you know. :)

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#48

What I take from this article is that social interaction is extremely important to ones health, and it's something that we largely taken for granted. In the age of computers and secluded work environments, I think we need to be aware of the effect that even casual interaction has on our mental and physical health. I have some personal/anecdotal experience which back this research up and affirms my belief that communi…

After college, I had a NEET period of roughly 6 months. I would see friends maybe once every other week because I was somewhat depressed about not being able to find a job and had to be dragged out of the house, and the only people I spoke to regularly in person were my parents. I went to my first meetup (for programming) towards the end of that period before getting my first job, and I felt all of the stuff you described.

It was really jarring, but I knew what was going on, so I didn't freak out. I'd read about how solitary confinement affects peoples' intelligence, especially their ability to formulate speech, and I figured I had a diminished version of that which only took effect when talking to strangers. It took about a week of work and interacting with people other than my parents on a regular basis for me to feel normal again.

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#49

What I take from this article is that social interaction is extremely important to ones health, and it's something that we largely taken for granted. In the age of computers and secluded work environments, I think we need to be aware of the effect that even casual interaction has on our mental and physical health. I have some personal/anecdotal experience which back this research up and affirms my belief that communi…

By spending most of your time at home, your immune system probably dials down.

I noticed I was falling sick when I took a short break from work and was mostly home. Everything returned to normal once I resumed my normal work schedule.

Re: 80-year Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely! I should mention that I have already covered the basics, which is why I strongly believe this is a social problem. I have: - Seen a doctor, gotten blood tests done, and verified all is "normal" - Eaten very healthy, home cooked meals since I started WFH. - Exercise 4-5 times a week. I am in "good" shape, and I am looking at registering to run my first marathon soon. - Drink lots of water. Mostly avoid alc…

Go to some meet ups, join a church, coach something... Good luck!

I really wish there were good community organizations that bring people together like a church, but weren't religious based. I guess that's what organizations such as the Moose lodge, or Lions club attempt to fill?
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