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You are here: Home / Family and Relationships / Friendships are Good for Your Health – but you already knew that

January 16, 2015

Friendships are Good for Your Health – but you already knew that

Friends

Though it may seem obvious, there is research supporting the connection between health and friendship.

Here just some of the benefits of spending time with friends:

  • Celebrate with you
  • Support you
  • Provide companionship and combat loneliness
  • Increase your sense of belonging
  • Improve your self-esteem
  • Help you cope
  • Boost your happiness
  • Encourage you

But do you know to what extent our connections with others impact our health and well-being?

Strong social ties, in adults as well as children, may also help our bodies help themselves.  When a person is in a stressful situation, evidence shows that the stress is reduced – the blood pressure and heart rate are not as elevated – when the individual has a support person with them.

Having social connections improve our odds of survival by 50%.  Based on a compilation of data collected from 148 studies focusing on social relationships and health outcomes , researchers concluded that social relationships should be taken as seriously as other risk factors, such as people who smoke and don’t smoke, that affect long life.

Additionally, research indicates that caring behaviors trigger the release of stress-reducing hormones.  Therefore, caring for friends, family, and loved ones helps to relieve harmful levels of stress, which negatively affect functions of the body such as insulin regulation and the immune system.

So what will you take away from this information?

  • Connect with others – they may live longer.
  • Stand beside your friend – when they are in a stressful situation.friends, laughing
  • How about…Show your support for those you love – you will benefit their health.
  • Or…research shows that “life-enhancing effects of social support extend to giver as well as to receiver”.

Friendships and connections with others have real benefits for both our well-being and physical health.  So…. take time to spend with friends, they are good for your health – but you already knew that.

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WRITTEN BY: Candace J. Heer, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Morrow County, Heart of Ohio EERA, heer.7@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Carmen Irving, M.A., CFLE, CYC-P, Healthy Relationships Program Specialist, OSU Extension FCS Administration, irving.31@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=friends&ex=1&AxInstalled=copy&Download=MP900442246&ext=JPG&c=0#ai:MP900442246|mt:2|
  • http://pixabay.com/en/human-women-laugh-cheerful-joy-495749/

Categories: Family and Relationships, Mind and Body
Tags: friendships, good health, physical health, social, stress reducing

Avatar for Candace J. Heer
Avatar for Candace J. Heer

About Candace J. Heer

Candace J. Heer, M.S., L.S.W. is an Ohio State University Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences in Morrow County. Her specializations are Health and Wellness and Financial Wellness. She also focuses her programming on home food preservation and food safety. Candace is a Licensed Social Work (Ohio) with an emphasis in behavioral and mental health and is a Certified Personal & Family Finance Educator (AAFCS). She is enthusiastic about promoting worthiness and well-being for people, animals, and the environment. You can find Candace crocheting, reading, watching sci-fi and spending time with family and friends, including her furry family members.

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