Being surrounded by good friends is very important for your happiness. This is so. Your emotional well-being depends in part on your social relationships, and they are a fundamental pillar in our lives. They are when you need them and they make you feel good. But perhaps you are not aware that, in addition, having a good circle of friends brings many benefits to your health. We tell you why going out with your friends takes care of you more than the doctor does.
Friends lengthen life
Having good friends increases life expectancy. In addition, it helps us overcome severe diseases such as cancer. A study conducted by the University of California (USA) among 3,000 women with breast cancer revealed that patients without close friends had a risk of dying four times higher than those with ten or more friends who supported them during your treatment.
The brain transforms
It is proven that the brain of social people has six larger and better connected areas than that of people with few friends. This is due to the skills necessary to maintain and cultivate a good number of social relationships.
Your heart, more protected
With the support of your friends, you can live longer even with heart problems. For example, research conducted by Duke University (USA) among 1,000 singles with cardiovascular disease concluded that, after five years, only 50% of patients who had no trusted friends survived, compared to 85 % of those who did maintain at least one strong friendship bond. In fact, another Australian study says that surrounding yourself with strong friends can increase life expectancy by 22%. Find out how your heart health is doing our test.
Memory is not lost
Having a circle of close friends and maintaining strong family ties protects against Alzheimer's, according to research from the University of the Onslaught (USA). The same study, conducted among 1,100 older adults without signs of dementia, revealed that living with a partner is also good for protecting memories. Don't miss out on these 7 hobbies that help prevent blue eyes and improve your memory.
Go clubbing, better than the gym
According to Brigham Young University (USA), having a low social life is worse than not exercising or being an alcoholic and twice as dangerous as being obese. Not only that, but, according to this study, a lack of social relationships influences premature death more than exposure to pollution. Of course, the canes, better without alcohol. If you have trouble going to the gym, take note of these exercises that you can do at home.
Friends improve your habits
Having friends with healthy habits makes ours better. People who live alone and barely interact with others tend to drink more alcohol and lead a less healthy lifestyle, and thus age faster.
Having friends lose weight
A study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine points out that relationships with friends made in childhood act as substitutes for food, avoiding the intake of foods that predispose to overweight and obesity.
They are soothing to the nerves
Lonely people are also proven to get more stressed. And is that having satisfactory social relationships can trigger the production of endorphins, substances that provide a feeling of happiness and reduce stress.
Friendship is better than a pain reliever
A dose of vitamin S is better than a box of pain relievers. According to the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, it is better to give yourself an injection or treat a wound in the presence of a friend because you suffer less. So, you know, bad drinks, better in company.
How to expand the circle of friends
If you feel more comfortable alone than with someone, these tips written by a person as unsocial as you, will help you:
- Visualize yourself having a good time. Why? Because just thinking about getting out in your mind already appears negative situations that do not have to occur.
- Smile. It's the best for breaking the ice. And adopt a body position that denotes proximity: be relaxed, do not cross your arms and maintain eye contact.
- Search for "clones." Look at people related to your way of being, tastes, interests or activities, because you will have things (not everything) to share with them.
- And that they complement you. In addition to what unites us, we look for what complements us, and so we have the funny friend, the encyclopedic, the kitchen …
- Do not judge. Do not stay with the first impression, which many times is not the one that corresponds to reality.
- Earn their trust. Listen, try to put yourself in their shoes, ask how they feel, offer your support and keep their secrets.
- The more people you meet, the better. Don't close yourself to meeting new people. You could discover someone interesting.
- If you already have friends, tie them up. It is as important to do them as to keep them: call them regularly, meet frequently, remember their birthday, etc.
