The Longevity Project summary

Have you ever been teased by easygoing friends for being stubbornly organized and always playing it safe? If so, you may end up having the last laugh, because this kind of behavior is part of being conscientious, a characteristic that can lead to a long and healthy life.

In children, one of the best indicators of longevity is conscientiousness, or carefulness. But even if it doesn’t develop until later in life, conscientious behavior can still have a positive impact.

When Dr. Terman considered these effects, he looked at the behavioral patterns of his subjects twice: once at the beginning of the study, when they were children; the second time when they were adults, 20 years later.

One of the subjects of the Terman Study was Patricia: She was a conscientious child and remained that way until she died in her nineties.

Another subject was James: He wasn’t a conscientious child but as he got older his habits changed and he became more detail and goal oriented. Over the course of 20 years he had moved from the bottom 25 percent to the top 25 percent in the conscientious score, and, as a result, he lived well into old age.

Researchers still aren’t sure why conscientious people are less likely to die from disease, but there are three possible reasons why they tend to live longer:

First of all, by nature, conscientious people are not risk-takers and they lead healthy lives. This means they are unlikely to drink, smoke, do drugs or drive recklessly.

The second reason has more to do with biology and the chemical composition of the brain. Research suggests that these types of people have higher levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps you feel good and stabilize your mood, and keeps you from making dangerous and irrational decisions.

Lastly, being conscientious can also lead to healthier personal and professional relationships. So, they’re not only happier and healthier individuals, they also attract partners, friends and jobs that help them stay that way.