The benefits of maintaining a positive social life
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American adults are spending more time alone than they have in recent history; today’s average adult spends over 50% of their time alone, compared to previous generations who spent less than 25% of their time on their own. Because we’re so accustomed to spending our free time alone, we often take social health and happiness for granted but it’s essential to your physical and mental health!
Having a positive social life improves your mental health
A lack of strong relationships can negatively impact your mental health, according to Psychology Today. Loneliness and depression are symptoms commonly associated with social isolation, but they’re not just physical responses to deprivation. Many researchers believe they’re also mental disorders and that feeling lonely and depressed are just as damaging to our physical and mental health as being obese or smoking. Having a positive social life makes you feel better about yourself: Feeling good about yourself can have an unexpected effect on your overall well-being, according to one study conducted.
Maintaining social health helps you live longer
As people age, they typically withdraw from society. But according to a study published in 2009 Psychology and Aging, social isolation is associated with significantly increased mortality, so it’s important to make sure you maintain strong relationships throughout your life. And that’s not just true for humans studies show that animals are more likely to survive if they live in social environments. For example, rats who were isolated after heart attacks did not survive as long as those kept in groups, even though both groups had access to food and water. So try to stay connected with other people: Consider joining clubs or sports teams or volunteering your time for a cause you believe in.
Maintaining a healthy network improves your finances
A 2011 study from Stanford University found that wealthy, highly educated individuals were 25 percent more likely to help others when doing so did not financially benefit them. They were also significantly more likely to give help even when it went against their self-interest. On top of all that, they turned out to be wealthier—their average household income was $160,000 as opposed to $93,000 for non-helpers. It’s clear that being kind isn’t just good for your health; it can make you rich too. So find someone in need today and practice some random acts of kindness!
A healthy network helps you at work
A healthy network can be one of your greatest assets when it comes to career success. It gives you access to valuable opportunities and additional insights into your industry. It also keeps you informed about trends in your field and helps you feel like you’re part of a larger community. And as it turns out, networking makes work less stressful, to people who have good relationships with their colleagues report higher job satisfaction. Maintaining strong connections with co-workers, partners, investors, and customers also helps create professional contacts that can benefit your career for years to come.
Your friends can help you lose weight
It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re trying to lose weight, but your friends can help. Not only can they help keep you on track, but they can also help fill up your schedule with fun activities that will burn calories without you having to think about it plus, they’ll provide accountability and encourage you when times get tough. Talk to your friends about how much activity is healthy and how often you should see them or meet up. Knowing that your pals are there for you will ensure that you don’t backslide into unhealthy habits just because it’s easy. Plus, your buddies might have suggestions for good restaurants or activities in your area so that boredom doesn't become an issue!
Having friends can decrease stress levels
It turns out that time with friends and family can do more than simply make you feel less lonely. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University found that if you surround yourself with supportive people, you'll feel less stressed out. Subjects who kept in touch with friends via text for just 20 minutes each day experienced significantly decreased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) afterward compared to those who simply sent texts when they felt lonely or angry. As a bonus, interacting with loved ones regularly will also strengthen your immune system and reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Having friends makes exercising easier
Exercise is often easier when you have friends to do it with. Since your desire to skip out on working out often relies on not wanting to work out alone, finding other people to work out with could make all of the difference. If you’re just starting an exercise program, it’s also important that you have someone who can spot you during exercises like push-ups and squats, as well as someone who can encourage you when your initial enthusiasm wears off. Plus, having friends who support your goal will help keep you motivated over time. As any athlete knows, working toward a common goal with other people usually creates more momentum and makes achieving that goal much more exciting than if you were going it alone.
Having friends can increase the quality of your diet
If you have friends over for dinner, you’re probably more likely to make healthier food choices. That’s because eating with people creates a social pressure that can limit junk food consumption and push people toward healthier alternatives. In one study, researchers set up an experiment in which participants could snack on either low-calorie or high-calorie foods, then had to eat in front of other people (or alone). People who ate in front of others were much less likely to choose unhealthy snacks than those who ate solo. And if your living room seems like too public a space for healthy eating, consider scheduling meals with friends as often as possible just be sure not to nosh out regularly.
Being active on social media makes you happier
Studies have found that frequent users tend to report more positive moods and less negative moods, even when controlling for things like frequency of use. Being active online may be one way to feel happier in daily life because using it can give us an outlet for our thoughts and feelings, which can help make them less overwhelming. In other words, we don’t necessarily need to solve our problems through therapy or talk therapy, but by listening to others on social media or venting on Twitter. We feel heard and validated and less alone in our struggles which makes us happy. This doesn’t mean that those who are lonely should just sit at home on their computer; we should go out and make friends!
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