Science Proved That People Who Often Hang Out With Friends Have Better Mental and Physical Health
It’s difficult to find a friend, but even harder to keep them throughout your life. According to statistics, we meet about 400 friends in our lifetime, but only 33 of them stay with us over time. And all of these people are important for us, to not only tell them news or to discuss the latest movies, but to spend the evening with. They affect our health and hanging out with them has a far greater effect than just having a good time.
We at Bright Side would like to tell you about the health benefits you get from hanging out with friends. You can carefully study them and share this information with your buddies the next time you hang out together. And believe us, after you read this you’ll want to do it more often.
Friends help you develop the skill of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. You become more empathetic and can better understand other people. And this is what makes us human. At the same time, sympathy helps you to experience fewer negative emotions, which is good for your psychological state.
You may be surprised, but friends influence you to visually evaluate things. Or rather, friends can help you see disturbing and challenging things as less threatening. According to a study, people who stood at the base of a steep hill with friends rated the hill as less steep in comparison with those who were alone.
Social connections have a positive effect on your physical health. One study found that body mass index, blood pressure, and some other indicators were worse in people who experienced loneliness. The risk of inflammation was lower among people who had an active social life.
Also, your friends and strong social relationships decrease the risk of premature death. Friends help reduce stress and make it easier to survive dark times. Isolation and loneliness affect your health adversely and lead to severe stress. The constant stress that accompanies you due to the lack of close people can bring deterioration of your body and cause disease.
Friends help you to avoid dementia. According to a study, older people who feel lonely have a higher risk of developing this disease. Cognitive functions can become worse when there are no social relationships. And friends help you develop, inspire you to stay interested in new things, and the communication between you can help your brain stay sharp.
It’s important to keep in touch with friends and hang out with them as often as possible. So drop all your excuses, clear your calendar, and hang out with your dear friends. Create new memories, share joy, and strengthen your connection. And you’ll see your health begin to improve.
How often do you hang out with your friends? How do you spend your time together? Share your friendship stories with others in the comments.