Mike Carruthers

Check out The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Today on Something You Should Know, the best advice you may ever hear, backed by 80 years of research.

Then we'll explore what time is, what is now, and how managing time can backfire.

Also, how the lack of sleep can make you gain weight.

And the personality traits of poisonous people and the damage they can do.

All this today on Something You Should Know.

It's really worth knowing about, and that's why we're going to start this episode of Something You Should Know talking about it.

Hi, welcome.

I'm Mike Carruthers.

So the Harvard Grant Study is one of the longest-running studies of adult life ever conducted.

It began in 1938, tracking a group of Harvard men, including John F. Kennedy.

And over time, it expanded into what is now known as the Harvard Study of Adult Development, following participants for more than 80 years.

After decades of data on health, success, aging, and happiness, the conclusion is surprisingly simple.

the quality of your relationships may be the single biggest predictor of how happy and healthy you are.

According to the study's longtime director, Robert Waldinger, people who are more socially connected tend to live longer, stay healthier, and maintain better brain function as they age.

Those who feel lonely or isolated, on the other hand, tend to decline earlier both physically and mentally.

Strong relationships don't just make life enjoyable, they actually protect you.

They buffer stress, support your health, and even seem to slow the effects of aging.

In fact, the research is so compelling that Waldinger, the head of the study, says it changed his own behavior, prompting him to reach out to more friends and family, even if it felt a little uncomfortable.

And that is something you should know.