5 Ways Your Friends Are Good For Your Health

From Intern Claire:

New research has given everyone a reason to be more social with friends. It’s been discovered that good friendships not only keep us mentally well and stable, but they also bring tons of positive benefits on our physical well being too.

A Huffington post article gives five insightful ways this has been proven — aside from all the nonsense that skinny friends keep you skinny and obese friends make you fat friends crap. For example, the relaxation friends create for each other has the power to lower risks of heart disease and cancer and to promote life longevity; good-functioning friendships among students reduce the stress of being bullied or excluded.

On the topic of relaxation powers of companionships, The San Francisco Chronicle reported:

“Women in particular may be predisposed to the calming benefits of friendship. Researchers found that females release the hormone oxytocin when stressed, which encourages ‘tend and befriend’ behavior, rather than the ‘fight or flight’ reaction often observed in men.”

So make time for your friends, it’ll make you healthier inside and out. And if you need some tips for how to make and keep new friends, check out this thread from the message board.

[via Huffington Post]