The Fundamental Human Needs To Best Lives

When things get really tough in life, we have this deep urge to cut everything back to the bare essentials. Tiny houses, minimalism, less-is-more, back-to-basics – these are all strategies to make sure that we are getting our most basic needs met on a daily basis without getting distracted by the shiny objects in life.

Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, defined a list of human needs that people now call the Hierarchy of Human Needs. He published this list in the 1940s, and it has become the utmost referenced list of human needs.

However, we’ve learned a lot about the human brain, body, and mind since that time and Maslow’s list could use an update.

Maslow’s list includes many requirements that are not actually ingredients toward happiness. Instead, many of Maslow’s needs are descriptions of how people are when they are in a long-term state of contentedness. For example, self-esteem, a sense of security, a sense of belonging, and self-actualization are the side-effects of contentedness. They are not needs in their own right.

This list benefits from nearly 75 years of psychology, neuroscience, and sociology research beyond what was known when Maslow wrote his list.

Food – The body needs calories and a variety of nutrients including protein, fat, and carbohydrates everyday to grow, function, and repair. Without food, the body begins to atrophy.Water – Ample hydration allows for the processes of the body to occur. Without water the body cannot process food or remove wastes.Shelter – We require protection from blazing sun, freezing temperatures, wind, and rain. Without shelter, human skin and organs are damaged from extreme temperatures.Sleep – 6–9 hours of sleep every 24 hours allows the brain to process new knowledge and deal with emotional information. Without ample sleep we cannot learn new things or get past emotional pain.Others – Adults require connection (physical or emotional) with other humans to release certain hormones like oxytocin. Human touch is so important that when we are young, our brains don’t develop correctly without it. Regular connection to others allows us to maintain a sense of well-being that allows for self-care.

Novelty – Novelty creates the opportunity to learn and the potential to fail, which stimulates dopamine release in the brain. Without regular novelty, motivation wanes and a healthy sense of well-being is lost.

These 6 needs, when met, allow for a person to develop the self-esteem, security, belonging, actualization, and the other expressions of contentedness that Maslow described. Maslow’s list came from what he saw in successful and happy people versus those who were not as contented or accomplished. He was the first to study contented humans. Prior to Maslow’s work, Psychology focused on people who were described as mentally ill.

We now live in a world where coaching, therapy, and personal development is the norm. Psychology is expected to support all people in achieving their goals. This new modern list of needs assumes that if these 6 basic needs are met on a daily basis, that a person will have enough motivation, well-being, and physical stamina to seek out physical exercise, emotional stimulation, and creative expression as needed throughout their lives