The Power of Care: How Quality Relationships Boost Health, Happiness, and Longevity
Overwhelming scientific evidence suggests that people who have strong and warm social relationships with their families, friends, and community members tend to have a higher quality of life, have fewer health issues, live longer, and enjoy a happier and more fulfilling life. Converse is also true. People who are lonely or live amidst a conflicting relationship tend to suffer from chronic, life-threatening illnesses and experience reduced overall immunity against diseases. Lonely individuals are at an increased risk of early decline in brain function as well as shorter life than people who enjoy warm and healthy relationships.
1 in 5 Americans report that they are lonely.
The Study of Adult Development
Dr. Robert Waldinger , the author of "The Good Life" and the current director of the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted that spans over eight decades, concludes that good relationships keep us happier and healthier. This extraordinary and one-of-its-kind study (at HMX – Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital ) that started in 1938 tracked the same individuals and their families via interviews, questionnaires, medical exams, and brain scans, with the intent to discover factors that make up a good life. The study findings suggest that the strongest predictor of satisfaction, happiness, health, and longevity is the quality of relationships that bring warmth to our lives.
The Harvard study points out that participants who were most securely attached in their relationships at age 50 were the healthiest at age 80.
How social bonds impact our physical and mental health
Several other studies have looked into factors that impact both health and happiness. One study found that midlife women in highly satisfying marriages and marital-type relationships had a lower risk for cardiovascular disease than those in less satisfying marriages. This further consolidates the Harvard findings that high-conflict marriages are not only detrimental to our health, but they could be worse than getting divorced. One study reported signs of reduced immunity in couples during especially hostile marital spats.
Long-term negative interactions with family and friends significantly contribute to poorer health, reduced immunity, and early memory decline.
Good social relationships have a big impact on our brain health. A large Swedish study of people ages 75 and over concluded that dementia risk was lowest in those with a variety of satisfying contacts with friends and relatives. It turns out that warmth and protectiveness in relationships protect not only our bodies but also our brains. People with strong social relationships also tend to enjoy sharper memories in their old age.
Warmth in relationships protects not only our body but also our brain health.
Research suggests that good social relationships manifest in several ways to yield health benefits.
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For example, positive behavioral factors relieve harmful levels of stress, which can adversely affect coronary arteries, gut function, insulin regulation, and the immune system.
Health benefits of caregiving
The health benefits of social bonds go beyond the care recipient. The research reveals that quality of life improves for both the caregiver as well as to receiver because caring behaviors trigger the release of stress-reducing hormones.
Interestingly, cordial relationships, good health, and happiness have a compounding effect on each other. If you are physically and mentally healthy, you will have more quality time to spend with your loved ones, bringing you contentment and happiness.
Conclusion
So, if you aim for happiness, longevity, and a better quality of life, focus on your social relationships and nurture them with love, kindness, and care, as they are scientifically proven to bring you an enriched life than your income, career, or popularity. The best part, no matter what your age, it's never too late to extend your warmth to others around you.
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