Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — When most of us think about staying healthy, we think about exercising, eating better or getting more sleep. But a growing body of research suggests there’s another habit that can have a powerful impact on both physical and mental health, maintaining strong social connections.
We track our steps, count our calories, monitor our sleep. But there’s one part of our health most of us never think about.
Scientists say building good, strong relationships may be just as important as many of the health habits we work so hard to build. That’s because your brain was never designed to do it alone. Scientists say social interaction activates regions of the brain involved in reward, learning, memory, and emotional well-being.
“You can be surrounded by people at work, at home, you can seem perfectly okay surrounded by people but feel alone inside. And it really comes down to the quality of your connections rather than the quantity,” said Colette Fehr, Licensed Mental Heath Counselor.
In other words, your brain doesn’t count how many friends you have. It responds to how connected you feel.
Every conversation exercises language. Every story challenges memory. Every game requires attention, strategy and decision-making.
“The biggest thing that makes a difference really is the quality of the connection. Having more substantive conversations. Talking more about emotions, about meaning, purpose. What are you struggling with lately in your life? When we learn to ask deeper, better questions, people feel more connected,” explained Fehr.
So, this week, call a friend. Stay a little longer. Ask one more question. Your brain may thank you for it.
According to the U.S. surgeon general, social isolation is associated with nearly a 30 percent higher risk of premature death. It’s also linked to a greater risk of heart disease, stroke and later in life, dementia. But according to a recent pew research center survey found nearly one in five American adults has no close friends outside of their family. And while most people with friends keep in touch through texts, fewer than three in 10 see a close friend in person at least a few times a week. One more reason experts say making time to connect may matter more than we realize.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/disconnected-places-and-spaces/
