Your most important health decision may be as simple as making a new friend. Here’s why.
Want to be healthier? Ditch the cigarettes and throw a party. Studies show that having an active social life with a circle of good friends is second only to not smoking in the list of heart-healthy essentials. Not only that, but close social ties have been shown to help lower blood pressure, protect against dementia, and reduce the risk of depression. Friendship is so powerful, in fact, that some researchers have termed it a “behavioral vaccine.”
Families are great, but you still need friends
According to a Brigham Young University analysis of nearly 150 studies that examined social relationships and their effects on health, people with close friends live longer than those who are loners—and longer than those who rely only on a spouse or other family member for support. Friendship appears to be crucial to recovering from illness, as well. For example, in a Harvard study of women with breast cancer, patients without a strong social network were found to have a 66 percent increased risk of death than those with a network of supportive pals.
What is it about friendship that is healing?
Scientists aren’t certain, but there is evidence that feeling close to a friend increases levels of progesterone, a hormone that helps reduce stress, a known contributor to heart disease and a suppressor of the immune system. What’s more, in 2009, University of Michigan researchers discovered that in a group of female subjects, progesterone triggered a bonding response that led them to seek out friends in times of difficulty—as opposed to the classic “fight or flight” response to stress.
Experts also think that a strong social network encourages people to take better care of themselves and to seek medical treatment earlier for symptoms that may indicate serious problems. Close friends also lift each other’s moods, convey a sense of belonging and help build self-esteem.
So just how close is “close”?
“The definition varies from person to person,” says Irene Levine, a professor of psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend. “In general, with a close friend, there’s a sense of loyalty and trust that permits you to be yourself. You don’t have to put on airs or pretend to be someone you’re not.”