A study done by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, J. Bradley Layton and Timothy B. Smith who are psychologists at Brigham Young University in Utah found that “there was a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships. This finding remained consistent across age, sex, initial health status and cause of death and the follow-up period.”
So having a strong social relationship is great for extending your life, here are other benefits of having friends.
Stress relief
You have someone to share the load with. Whether you have a group of friends that support you or just one, having someone to share the frustrations of life does go a long way. There is nothing like laughing with your friends to change your mood and make you feel better.
They keep you sharp
They keep you on your toes, challenging your ideas, wit, and decisions [we hope]. They can also be great keeping you sharper for longer. A Study published in the Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry found that those with a social life are not as lonely and suffered less from dementia.
Lasting connection
It can be easy to push friendships aside when life gets busy, but that’s exactly when you should be hanging onto them. There’s a type of healing that takes place in friendships between women, a nurturing and strengthening that can’t be ignored.
The next time you find yourself going through a difficult experience, call on your girlfriends. In subtle but very real ways, they’re helping you live a better, happier and healthier life.
