4 Ways Your Friends Are Great For Your Health

As we grow from children to teenagers, from teenagers to young adults, and from young adults to middle-aged professionals and retirees, building quality friendships seemingly gets harder every step of the way. Nonetheless, developing new friendships — and taking the time to maintain old ones — isn't only a time suck. Friendships play a key role in your mental health, something that translates to your physical wellbeing as well. 

Forming Friendships

From the playground to the classroom, most children have no problem making friends. When it comes to adults, developing and maintaining long-lasting friendships can be challenging for some. Some adults find it is difficult to find the time get out and meet new people, a necessary step in forming friendships. Some people are so busy with work and family life that they even find it difficult to maintain a relationship with existing friends.

Many times, adults find that in addition to all of their responsibilities and priorities, their interests may change, leading to the friendship drifting apart. Job changes or promotions that require relocation can also make it difficult to meet people in a new environment.

Making and maintaining quality friendships is about just that... quality. When it comes to friendship, quality wins out over quantity every time. Having 1 or 2 quality friendships is much more significant in terms of health benefits than having a dozen mediocre friendships with people you would never be able to spill your deepest thoughts to, count on for help, or be ready to assist yourself at any time. When you set out to improve your social life and develop meaningful friendships, there is no magic number of friends that you should set your sights on.

While people who are especially social may thrive with a large network of friends, others who are less social and prefer more significant and existentially relevant one-on-one time with friends may prefer a smaller circle of 1 or 2 tight knit friends. And in terms of friendships, not all are created equal. Some friends are good for leisure activities such as attending sporting events or going to a movie, while other friends are on more of a personal level, those with whom you are able to share your deeper thoughts and emotions with.

Individuals who have a difficult time meeting new people and fostering new friendships need to simply broaden their horizons and enlist some creative efforts. If you are a parent or a dog-owner, you can simply go for a stroll in a local park with your child or dog. There are bound to be other parents and pet-owners there as well. Striking up a conversation with a stranger can be easy when you share a common interest. If there is no park in your immediate vicinity, you can simply go for a walk in your neighborhood. Other members of your community are likely to be out and about doing the same thing. 

Has that never worked out for you? Do you still crave new friendships? You may have to take more targeted steps.

Take up a hobby or join a gym

Some of the best ways to meet new people are to take up a hobby or join a gym. Many fitness enthusiasts who have a passion for exercise are more than happy to welcome newcomers into their circle. Consider joining a gym, taking an exercise class at a local community center or signing up for recreational sports leagues in your area.

Making friends can be as simple as accepting an invitation from someone who invites you to a social gathering. Many times, social opportunities will present themselves organically. Pay attention to those opportunities and take advantage of them. If a few co-workers ask you to join them for lunch, take them up on the invitation. A simple lunch meeting can be a starting ground for the development of a quality friendship down the road. Even if you don't feel like having lunch right now, the social dividends can pay off.

Health Benefits Of Friends

In addition to filling up your social calendar, forming and maintaining quality friendships can have tremendous benefits on your general health. Overall, good friends are synonymous with better health. When you have a network of friends, regardless of how big or small that network is, you have other people in your life that will be there alongside you for most of life’s ups and downs.

Emotional Benefits

Your friends will be their during good times to share in your celebrations and positive life events, and they will also be there in bad times to help support you and help you through those difficult moments. In these ways, your friends are good for your emotional health. During good times, your friends provide companionship, which can increase your sense of belonging and help bring more purpose into your life. During life’s difficult moments, your friends provide comfort and support, which can help prevent depression and loneliness.

Boost Your Happiness

When you have friends in your life who share some of your interests and likes, you are able to pursue those interests together. The joy that comes from pursuing your hobbies is often amplified when someone close to you shares in that joy. Additionally, you are more likely to get out and participate in social activities if you have friends to do that with. While some people have no problem with going to a movie, sporting event or other social arena alone, others prefer to go with a friend or group of friends.

For those individuals, many would rather avoid the activity altogether than go it alone. Having friends can help motivate you to get up off the couch and get out of the house. Oftentimes, people can fall into a rut where they live the same boring routine day after day. But when they have friends that encourage them to break that routine and get out and about, they often experience an elevation in happiness and an overall improvement in mood.

Decrease Stress

Most health professionals agree that having friends is an effective way to reduce stress. This is obvious when we think of the benefits of having a shoulder to lean on during difficult times. But maintaining quality friendships can lower stress in other ways as well. People who have close friendships are generally better able to handle stress and confront it head on. This may be a result of the improved confidence that comes with having friends. Individuals who do not have friends tend to be more withdrawn, isolated and insecure, while those with friends often display more self-confidence, are more outgoing and are more secure in their own abilities. These attributes all help to combat stress.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Having friends can do wonders for you physical health also. People who develop and maintain lasting friendships are less likely to experience health issues associated with added weight gain, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Though the reason for the correlation is unclear, many believe it to be a result of the mind-body connection, in which emotional happiness results in improved overall physical health.

Others believe it may be due to the fact that good friends are more likely to encourage the avoidance of unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive drinking, drug abuse, a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. For example, individuals with friends are more likely to get up and get out, rather than sit in front of the television. Over time, these little habits add up to more exercise and overall better lifestyle habits.