"The more we study engagement, we see time and again that just being next to certain people actually aligns your brain with them", he said. "This means the people you hang out with actually have an impact on your engagement with reality beyond what you can explain. And one of the effects is you become alike."

There's an old adage that money doesn't buy happiness; but those of us who know what it's like to be short on cash have probably had our doubts about it.

I mean, sure, you can't literally go and buy yourself a shot of joy or elation, but you can buy a three-week cruise around the Bahamas, or a relaxing day at the spa, or a large stuffed crust pizza - and those are basically the same thing.

According to research from Yale and Oxford, however, there is something that can give you the same kick for free: exercise.

"Exercise is known to be associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes, but its association with mental health remains unclear," the researchers said in their hypothesis. "We aimed to examine the association between exercise and mental health burden in a large sample, and to better understand the influence of exercise type, frequency, duration, and intensity."

So, in order to find out more about the connection between exercise and mental health (and happiness), they analysed data from over a million individuals.

During the study, participants were asked: "How many times have you felt mentally unwell in the past 30 days, for example, due to stress, depression, or emotional problems?" Then, they were questioned on how much money they earned and how frequently they engaged in physical activities (and that included everything from mowing the lawn to looking after children to working out at the gym).

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After collating the data, scientists discovered that people who regularly exercised felt bad for about 35 days in a year. Meanwhile, those who were not active experienced low moods for an average 53 days a year.

What's more, when earnings were factored in, researchers found that physically active people were just as happy as non-active people who earned an average of $25,000 more every year. So, yes - money can make you happier to an extent, but that same happiness can be attained by regular physical activity.

However, more exercise does not always mean more happiness.

"In a large US sample, physical exercise was significantly and meaningfully associated with self-reported mental health burden in the past month," the study said.

"More exercise was not always better. Differences as a function of exercise were large relative to other demographic variables such as education and income. Specific types, durations, and frequencies of exercise might be more effective clinical targets than others for reducing mental health burden, and merit interventional study."

If you're looking to improve your mental health, then, exercise seems to be the way of going about it.

You could also try to earn more money, of course - but the physical effects of getting regular activity benefit more than just your mental health. Frequent exercise can also improve your overall wellbeing, and that - in turn - will probably keep you happier in the long run.

Following research by scientists, a study may show the maximum age a human being could live to.

Finding the secret to a long life has been a point of intrigue for humans since the dawn of time.

Nobody has quite cracked immortality yet, but the average age has definitely increased over the centuries.

This is largely thanks to modern medicine, better hygiene, and just a better standard of living overall.

But how far can a human being push the limits of aging?

Well, research conducted by scientists from Singapore biotech firm Gero and the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, may have the answers.

The researchers, who published their findings in 2022, examined the body’s resilience - its capacity to recover from physical damage - as a key determinant of longevity, per the Daily Mail.

By analyzing medical data from hundreds of thousands of volunteers, with assistance from artificial intelligence, they sought to estimate the absolute limits of human lifespan.

Beyond age alone, scientists considered a range of factors, including the impact of illness, lifestyle, and the body’s ability to bounce back from physical setbacks.

Their results indicate that, while the body can repair itself to an impressive degree, these recovery mechanisms wear down by approximately 120 to 150 years.

Although ongoing pharmaceutical developments could theoretically slow aging and extend lifespans to 200 years, scientists caution that such longevity will not become common in the near future.

However, they note that advances in age-related science may lead to more individuals breaking longevity records in the coming centuries.

The study's findings come amid ongoing interest in global life expectancy trends.

Data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that life expectancy at birth for the period between 2020 and 2022 was 78.6 years for males and 82.6 years for females.

In the United States, life expectancy currently stands lower, at around 74.8 years for males and 80.2 years for females, per the CDC.

Historically, the oldest verified human was Jeanne Calment, a French woman who lived to be 122, passing away in 1997.

More recently, Maria Branyas Morera held the title of the world’s oldest living person until her death in August at the age of 117, per the Guardian.

Branyas, who lived through both the 1918 Spanish flu and the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as two world wars, reportedly attributed her longevity to “order, tranquility,” and “staying away from toxic people.”

She might be onto something there.

Featured image credit: Jasmin Merdan/Getty

It's often hard to keep up with the research taking place about what keeps us fit and healthy. The fact is that there are plenty of positives and negatives to various foods, so it can be hard to pin down what exactly we should be having.

However, it's rare that one of these studies reveals that there are benefits to being overweight...

Researchers at the University of California's Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) recently released their findings on what people can do in order to live a long life, with the surprising revelation that moderate amounts of alcohol and coffee, as well as being overweight during your 70s, makes it more likely for you to make it past your 90th birthday.

“People who drank moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee lived longer than those who abstained,” they explained, adding that “people who were overweight in their 70s lived longer than normal or underweight people did.”

This research comes from a project called The 90+ Study. The study began in 2003, and since then they have spoken with 14,000 people to find out exactly what made them live so long.

"Because little is known about people who achieve this milestone, the remarkable increase in the number of oldest-old presents a public health priority to promote the quality as well as the quantity of life," the researchers stated.

In an attempt to find out exactly where the recent increase in lifespan is coming from, participants were asked to perform cognitive and physical tests every six months, with information gathered on their diet, daily routine, medical history, and medications as well.

It was recent analysis of this data that found the link between alcohol, coffee, and weight. This calls to mind Richard Overton, who passed away this month at the age of 112. Overton was the United States' oldest World War II veteran, and claimed he had a cup of coffee with cream, sugar, and whiskey each morning.

This isn't the only research that has discovered a connection between healthy living and coffee consumption. In a study published in the Nature Medicine journal, a team at Stanford University found that caffeine consumption was linked to elevated inflammation levels, which can trigger some major diseases associated with old age.

Their team analysed blood samples from 100 participants from various age groups, and found that most of the older participants who regularly drank caffeine products had very low levels of activity in their inflammatory gene pathways, putting them closer to the younger entrants to the study.

"The more caffeine people consumed, the more protected they were against a chronic state of inflammation," study author David Furman told Time. Inflammation is vital to how the immune system functions, but increased levels can lead to chronic diseases like Alzheimer's, diabetes, hypertension, and joint disorders.

So, it seems a little alcohol and coffee won't hurt - as long as you don't go overboard with it...

When you're in your mid-late teens, it is easy to believe that sex is the key to happiness. Due to the raging hormones in your body, you are constantly randy and looking to hump anything that moves. However, as you grow up and begin to slow down, so does your sex drive. Despite this, sex is still a vital cog in a smooth relationship and is vital when it comes to maintaining a balanced, pleasant and happy relationship.

But, while you may think that the happiest couples are those who are getting freaky on the regular, you would be mistaken... kind of. It turns out then when it comes to sex, less is actually more - and we have the science to prove it.

According to a recent survey that was published in the scientific journal Social Psychology and Personality Science, the happiest couples don't get jiggy with it every single day, they actually go at it like a pair of rabbits around once a week. Also, according to the same survey, those who were having sex less than once a week were left less fulfilled.

However, in a separate study conducted by the Kinsey Institute revealed that the average amount of sex that couples have is purely based on age. According to the research, couples between the ages of 18 - 29 have sex 112 times a year, averaging out at twice a week.

But, once you hit the age of 30, that number falls to 86 times a year. Then, when you hit the dreading 40, it falls even further, to 69 (lol) times a year. Of course, this is all completely understandable as the older you get, the more responsibilities you have. On top of this, as your body gets older, it begins to decline - with the likes of arthritis and fatigue likely to take their toll on the amount of sex you have.

“Some people want to have sex every day, and they are. Other people have other priorities, so sex isn’t on the top of their list, so they are having it less,” marriage therapist and professor at the University of Southern California, Mary Andres, told USA Today.

According to Dr. Sanam Hafeez, the main reason couples struggle in the love-making department is because of things like stress, medical issues, smartphones and declining connections. But, Hafeez does say that doesn't mean your sex life is over, just that you need to put a bit more effort in.

“Check in throughout the day. A kissy face emoji or a quick message sending love keeps the connection going,” Hafeez explained to NBC News. “Also, something as simple as walking together after dinner without phones, or dancing, can get good brain chemicals flowing".

Of course, it should be noted that there is no such thing as the perfect amount of sex. All relationships are based on communication, so it's all about finding a happy medium between too much and too little. In other words, don't worry about comparing your sex life to other people's, it's pointless.