Your spouse, Dear friends. Your children and grand children. Long-time collegeaus. Even Spot and Tabby. We hope plenty of loved ones - and pets - spring to mind easily when you think about your personal support network. Close connections are a source of joy in the moment and offer a sturdy shield against the stress that can lead to health problems in the long term. Scientific journals are bursting with evidence that having friends around changes the biochemistry of your brain, pumping up feelings of joy and well-being that bolster immunity. The more close friends you have, the greater the odds that you'll be healthy and live longer, while being lonely puts you at risk of an earlier death, high blood pressure, depression and accidents at home and on the road.
Experts are beginning to realise that we're hardwired for friendship. Back in the days when we lived in caves, being alone was perilous - no one was around to help to fend off marauding wolves or forage for roots and berries if you were sick. Fast-forward to today: we're remarkably self-sufficient, yet our ancient responses haven't changed one bit. When you're alone for too long (and the definition of 'too long' is different for each of us), levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise, ratcheting up your odds for heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, muddled thinking and sleep problems. Research even suggests that our brains register social isolation in the same way they register physical pain.
Yet keeping old friends close and building new connections is becoming a lost art. In one study that assessed the social habits of 1,467 women and men in 1985 and again in 2004, they found that the number of people with no close friends at all doubled - to 25 percent. Overall, the number of companions in whom study volunteers said they could really confide fell by a third.
Stay connected for a healthy heart That's sad news for your heart, according to the scientists who run the Framingham Heart Study. When they checked on 3,267 men, they found that those who were the most socially isolated had the highest levels of interleukin-6 - an inflammatory compound linked to cardiovascular disease. Our analyses suggest that it may be good for the heart to be connected,'
says researcher Eric B. Loucks, PhD from the department of society, human development an health at the Harvard School of Public Health. 'In general it seems to be good for health to have close friends and family, to be connected to community groups or religious organistations, and to have a close partner.'
A spouse or romantic partner may buffer stress best. In one study, brain scans revealed that women had milder reactions to a stressful event (in this case, a mild electric shock) while holding their husbhand's hand than when they held a stranger's hand - or no one's hand. And men
who made love
the key Action
As best you can, fill your life with friendship, family, laughter an love
once or twice a week were 2.8 times less likely to have fatal heart attacks that men who made love less than once a month, report University of Bristol researchers, who tracked the health of 914 Welsh men over the course of five years.
Working on your relationship can make today sweeter and tomorrow healthier, too. Letting hostility and anger take center stage is a recipe for trouble. In a University of Utah study of 150 couples, those who deployed angry, mean spirited verbal grenades had more heart threatening atherosclerosis. The scientists uncovered the connection by videotaping the couples during a 6 minute conversation about a sore maritial subject. They also used a CAT scan to check their arterities for calcifications - an early sign of clogging. The surprising link: husbhands had a 30 percent higher risk of severe hardening of the arterties when either spouse was dominant or controlling; wives risk rose 30 percent when either partner was hostile.
'People get heart disease for lots of reasons,' says lead researcher Tim Smith, PhD, a professor of psychology at the university. 'If someone said, "what's the most important thing I can do to protect my heart health?" my first answers would be, "Don't smoke", "Get exercise" and "Eat a sensible diet". But somewhere on the list would be "Pay attention to your relationships".
Pets count, too We're happy to report that four-legged friends are part of the equation for a long, happy, sociable life, too. According to Dr Deborah Wells, a psychologist at Queen's
The real health givers
Do you think your doctor and dentist are the sole members of your personal health-care team? Take a second look. The real health protectors in your life may surprise you - and could include any of these people, and more.
great advice For great ideas on how to increase social activity in your life, turn to the 'Live to feel good'.
Experts are beginning to realise that we're hardwired for friendship. Back in the days when we lived in caves, being alone was perilous - no one was around to help to fend off marauding wolves or forage for roots and berries if you were sick. Fast-forward to today: we're remarkably self-sufficient, yet our ancient responses haven't changed one bit. When you're alone for too long (and the definition of 'too long' is different for each of us), levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise, ratcheting up your odds for heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, muddled thinking and sleep problems. Research even suggests that our brains register social isolation in the same way they register physical pain.
Yet keeping old friends close and building new connections is becoming a lost art. In one study that assessed the social habits of 1,467 women and men in 1985 and again in 2004, they found that the number of people with no close friends at all doubled - to 25 percent. Overall, the number of companions in whom study volunteers said they could really confide fell by a third.
Stay connected for a healthy heart That's sad news for your heart, according to the scientists who run the Framingham Heart Study. When they checked on 3,267 men, they found that those who were the most socially isolated had the highest levels of interleukin-6 - an inflammatory compound linked to cardiovascular disease. Our analyses suggest that it may be good for the heart to be connected,'
says researcher Eric B. Loucks, PhD from the department of society, human development an health at the Harvard School of Public Health. 'In general it seems to be good for health to have close friends and family, to be connected to community groups or religious organistations, and to have a close partner.'
A spouse or romantic partner may buffer stress best. In one study, brain scans revealed that women had milder reactions to a stressful event (in this case, a mild electric shock) while holding their husbhand's hand than when they held a stranger's hand - or no one's hand. And men
the key Action
As best you can, fill your life with friendship, family, laughter an love
once or twice a week were 2.8 times less likely to have fatal heart attacks that men who made love less than once a month, report University of Bristol researchers, who tracked the health of 914 Welsh men over the course of five years.
Working on your relationship can make today sweeter and tomorrow healthier, too. Letting hostility and anger take center stage is a recipe for trouble. In a University of Utah study of 150 couples, those who deployed angry, mean spirited verbal grenades had more heart threatening atherosclerosis. The scientists uncovered the connection by videotaping the couples during a 6 minute conversation about a sore maritial subject. They also used a CAT scan to check their arterities for calcifications - an early sign of clogging. The surprising link: husbhands had a 30 percent higher risk of severe hardening of the arterties when either spouse was dominant or controlling; wives risk rose 30 percent when either partner was hostile.
'People get heart disease for lots of reasons,' says lead researcher Tim Smith, PhD, a professor of psychology at the university. 'If someone said, "what's the most important thing I can do to protect my heart health?" my first answers would be, "Don't smoke", "Get exercise" and "Eat a sensible diet". But somewhere on the list would be "Pay attention to your relationships".
Pets count, too We're happy to report that four-legged friends are part of the equation for a long, happy, sociable life, too. According to Dr Deborah Wells, a psychologist at Queen's
The real health givers
Do you think your doctor and dentist are the sole members of your personal health-care team? Take a second look. The real health protectors in your life may surprise you - and could include any of these people, and more.
- Your neighbour: she's offered to start a morning walking club with you - why not say yes? Making a commitment to meet someone for exercise boosts the odds that you'll really do it. And walking with a friend provides soul-satisfying social time, too.
- Your husband: every hug, smile and "I love you" can cut your levels of brain and body-threatening stress hormones.
- Your dog: pets soothe stress, many studies show.
- Your financial adviser: keeping your money organised and working for you lifts a big burden and eases your anxiety. Studies show that people who think they've got financial woes also have more health problems.
- Your book group: discussing new ideas with good friends can cut your risk of Alzheimer's disease, research reveals.
great advice For great ideas on how to increase social activity in your life, turn to the 'Live to feel good'.
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