Want to have happy sunset years? Make sure you have lots of friends. Family? Not as important, according to a pair of new studies involving 280,000 people.
The studies, led by William Chopik of Michigan State University, found that relationships with friends are a stronger predictor of health and happiness in older people than close relationships with their relatives.
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According to Chopik, speaking with MSU Daily, ““Friendships become even more important as we age. Keeping a few really good friends around can make a world of difference for our health and well-being. So it’s smart to invest in the friendships that make you happiest.”
It was the first study that put friends before family as a good thing to have. The team analyzed survey responses from 271,053 people of all ages from almost 100 countries — the subjects had been asked to rate their health and happiness, and to report whether their most valued relationships were with friends or family. The researchers found that having a greater interest in friendships proved a stronger and stronger predictor of health and happiness as people got older. On the other hand, no such correlation was…
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