There are all kinds of things that affect mental and physical health, but having a handful of great friends may be one of the most important factors of all. There is all kinds of science-backed evidence that social connections and meaningful relationships are crucial to our health and well-being, including:
- A meta-analysis of research finds that having a few close friends is more important for health - both physical and mental, including high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and depression - than diet or exercise habits.
- Another long-term study shows that when people feel less lonely and more socially connected with friends, they’re less likely to experience depression and anxiety.
- And another study involving 280-thousand people concludes that friendship is a strong predictor of both health and happiness, especially for older adults.
So science agrees that friendships are key when it comes to good mental health and being intentional and putting effort into friendships is worth it. And this is how to do it:
- Commitment - Prioritize reaching out and making time for people. When you do get to spend time together, put away your phone and be present, because our actions speak louder than words about our interest in maintaining the friendship.
- Consistency - This is another key to friendship, which generally requires about 60 hours of investment. That’s a lot of time, so you want to be selective about who you spend your time with and don’t spread yourself too thin. More isn’t better when it comes to friends, a few good ones is all you really need.
- Curiosity - Show a genuine interest in people and what makes them tick, how they think and what you can learn from them. It’s valuable to be friends with folks who are both different from you and similar to you. And your mental health will be better for it.
Source: Forbes
Scott's Thoughts:
- We all know how hard it is to make new friends as an adult, so if you’re lucky enough to have some who put up with you canceling plans, help you decide how to respond to texts and actually like hanging out with you, do whatever you can to keep them!
- I think when it comes to friends it is quality that counts more than quanity.
- It gets harder to maintain old friendships as we age.