Social Connections Hold it All Together
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
Concluding our series highlighting how the 5 Pillars of Health can be used to create easy changes that make a big impact, we will take a brief look at how relationships and social connection positively impact health.
We’ve long known that social relationships are important to health. One study dating back to 2010 looked at data from 148 studies with over 300,000 people. They wanted to know if social support had an effect on the risks of death, illness, and mental health status of the study participants.
Were people with stronger social connections less likely to die during the follow-up period? Yes. People who had strong relationships were statistically 50% less likely to die in that period than those who did not have solid social relationships (1)!
Close, bonded relationships are very emotionally fulfilling and have been shown in studies to boost the immune system (1). Perhaps it’s because deep social bonding involves a shared history over many years and challenges, helping people feel known, understood, and validated. These relationships create happy emotions, relieving stress because feelings can be shared with trusted people.
What About Social Media Friends?
A different study from 2017 adds some dimension to the subject. Higher numbers of face-to-face interactions increased self-reports of health. Interestingly, higher numbers of connections on a specific social media platform did not translate into more reports of health (2).
This Month: Simple Ways to Maximize Your Healthy Connections
1. Deepen or Re-Connect with Current Relationships:
Twice this month, carve out a little more time for a few key relationships. Go get a coffee or make a lunch date. Catch up with their news, ask them what’s going on in their lives.
2. Embrace the Face-to-Face:
Consider attending a meet-up group in your area for a topic you’re interested in.
A few times this month, hang out at a local coffee shop, shop in an antiques store, or look around a book, clothing, or record store. Make a point to engage people in conversations.
At Abundant Health, we are passionate about helping you master the pillars of health: sleep, movement, nutrition, stress management, and meaningful connections. We partner with you to bring about your best health!
Sources
1. PLOS Medicine (2010). "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review."
2. Frontiers in Psychology (2017). "All You Need Is Facebook Friends? Associations between Online and Face-to-Face Friendships and Health."
Abundant Health is a medical center that integrates traditional, naturopathic, and functional medicine delivering exceptional personalized healthcare solutions. We offer advanced services such as comprehensive testing, IV therapy, nutritional counseling, allergy testing, and more. Our dedicated team is committed to helping you achieve optimal health and well-being, tailored to your unique needs.
Phone: 951-331-4020
