The Secret to Longevity? Phone a Friend.
It's no secret that humans are social creatures. We thrive in social environments and suffer when we're isolated. There is a reason that solitary confinement in the prison system is used as one of the most serious punishments.
In recent years, science has begun to catch up with what we've known all along: social connections are essential for our physical and mental health. Let's look at some of the ways social connections impact our lives.
Mortality Rates
One of the most significant ways social connections impact our lives is through our mortality rates. A 2020 study found that a lack of social connections was associated with a 7.7 to 15% increased risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular concerns.[1] That's a pretty staggering statistic! Lack of social connection is also associated with early death from a number of specific causes, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease.[2,3] Simply put, if you want to live a long and healthy life, it's important to nurture your social connections. We may just think it is strong connections, but another study showed that more than five weak ties can also play a protective role.[4]
Brain Health
It's not just our physical health that benefits from social connections; our mental health does too. Numerous studies have shown that social isolation can lead to cognitive decline, while strong social ties can protect against cognitive decline and dementia. A meta-analysis published in The Lancet showed that those who are married, in a relationship or live with others had slower declines in memory, language and cognition.[5] One study that followed 462,619 adults over 12 years even found that participants who reported being socially isolated were at a 1.26-fold increased risk for dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging also showed these individuals had less gray matter in their brains than participants who were not socially isolated![6] So, if you want to keep your mind sharp as you age, maintaining strong social connections is crucial.
There's no question about it: social connections are essential for a happy and healthy life. From lengthening our lifespans to protecting our brain health, the benefits of having strong social ties are myriad. So make an effort to stay connected with friends and family, join a club or group that aligns with your interests, or volunteer in your community.
Your body—and your mind—will thank you for it!
References
Uzuki, Tsutomu, et al. "Relationship between social support status and mortality in a community-based population: a prospective observational study (Yamagata study)." BMC Public Health 20.1 (2020): 1-7.
Kraav, Siiri-Liisi, et al. "Loneliness and social isolation increase cancer incidence in a cohort of Finnish middle-aged men. A longitudinal study." Psychiatry research 299 (2021): 113868.
Bu, Feifei, Keir Philip, and Daisy Fancourt. "Social isolation and loneliness as risk factors for hospital admissions for respiratory disease among older adults." Thorax 75.7 (2020): 597-599.
Kauppi, Maarit, et al. "Characteristics of social networks and mortality risk: Evidence from 2 prospective cohort studies." American Journal of Epidemiology 187.4 (2018): 746-753.
Samtani, Suraj, et al. "Associations between social connections and cognition: a global collaborative individual participant data meta-analysis." The Lancet Healthy Longevity 3.11 (2022): e740-e753.
Shen, Chun, et al. "Associations of social isolation and loneliness with later dementia." Neurology 99.2 (2022): e164-e175.