Spending some quality time with family or friends feels right for the soul. Time spent with those that you love is always good for everyone. Spending too much time on your own can make you feel lonely. Strong social interactions gives support, reduces pressure and fights depression.People who enjoy social interactions have fewer health problems and they tend to live longer than others. In a study of 7,000 Californian men and women, researchers found that isolation was a much bigger reason for death over the nine-year study period than smoking, obesity and lack of exercise. For example, if you develop a heart disease, only thing than can keep you alive longer is strong social connection. On the other hand, having few or no social interaction are linked to a higher risk of health problems, like cancer or heart attacks.
Social Interaction
Social connection or Social interaction is an important part of our lives. People who are more connected to their friends, family or peer groups are happier, have less mental health problems and tend to live longer. Part of building strong social connectionsis having open, good and regular communication. This can be done by sharing your feelings, emotions and thoughts to your family, friends or any person who you trust. For many individuals it is very easy to share their personal things with others. While others find it difficult to share and they might need a social group or health community to get comfortable and share what they feel.
Good mental health is linked to having a social network with whom you can relax and have fun. We sometimes become so busy that we lose touch with our family or friends, however making an attempt to stay in contact may have huge benefits. On the other hand, individuals who do not interact with others and do not participate in outdoor activities like, going out with friends or joining a community, have a 60 % higher risk of developing a condition called “prediabetes” which turns into diabetes.
Social Interaction and Mental Health
In your entire life, the quality and number of your social interaction affects your mental health. There are numerous advantages of social interaction which impacts good mental health. Social interaction incorporates lower rate of tension and sadness, higher confidence, compassion, and trusted connections. Strong and healthysocial interaction can help you recover from many diseases and may even extend your life. Social interaction helps to overcome stress because people with more social interactions tend to be happier than those who live in isolation. In particular, face-to-face interaction have the most positive impact. According to Psychologist Susan Pinker, direct face-to-face interaction activates part of our nervous system that discharge a “cocktail” of neurotransmitters entrusted with controlling our reaction to stress and nervousness. Another study proves that cancer patients going through chemotherapy tend to live longer and stay happy if they have access to social interaction with their friends, family members or just being around their loved ones helps them overcome with the disease.
Not only spending time with your loved ones is fun, but your mind and body will thank you for it later. Regular social interactions can help keep you energized, intellectually sharp and mentally sharp. Furthermore, interactions with others help you feel better. Especially, older people are weak. It is very important for them to stay connected with others and have regular social interaction with others. There are many advantages for those who are regularly in touch with others, such as:
- Better quality of life
- Lower risk of mental decline
- Lower risk of memory loss and dementia
- More satisfied with their life
How Social Interaction is Linked with Memory Loss
Social interactions boost your brain functions. Exercising your mind through strong social interactions with different people is significant. Like sufficient rest, a decent eating regimen, and standard exercise, social interactions have a wide extent of positive advantages that you might not have recently thought of.People who regularly engage with others maintain their brain health better at all ages. A research conducted by the National Institute of Health shows that only 10 minutes of social interaction increases performance on cognitive assessments. The study also states that socializing is a form of mental exercise that requires attention and alertness, all of which are important characteristic of memory. High level of social interaction helps in higher level of cognitive functioning and it helps to boost your memory.
Another study conducted by Dr. Lisa Berkman of Harvard University found that individuals who were having social interactions experienced less decline memory. But to gain the benefits of social interactions, individuals must participate and engage in in social activities, such as; playing games, attending lectures, sharing food and exercise. Individuals with high social interactions reported half as much memory loss compared to less social individuals. Seniors who enjoy interacting with friends or family keep their minds and memories active.
Things You Can Do To Increase Your Social Interaction
- Call a friend or relative for a visit.
- If you feel there is no one you can call so go and meet your neighbors.
- Invest less time on TV or PC.
- Join social network groups or volunteer in different communities.
- Do not be afraid to say hello or smile to any stranger you cross on road.
- Ask for advice.
- Start a conversation with others.
Conclusion
Social Interaction with neighbors, parents, colleagues and others that share same interest with you are helpful for your mental health. Take out some time to evaluate the time you spend in social interactions and with whom you spend that time. Schedule time with friends or anyone you like to spend time with on a regular basis. It does not have to be full day meeting but only a 15 minutes’ walk in a garden or a tea break at a café can be helpful.
Social interaction is a basic part of our mental health. Keeping in touch with others should consistently be our priority. Setting up connections may take some work, yet it is clearly justified, for overall emotional, physical and cognitive health. Being more joyful, learning better, and living longer are altogether preferences that ought to persuade even the most dedicated of loners to get out there and socialize. Now close this article and give that old friend of yours a call.
Author Bio:
William P. Slattery, the President and CEO of Nieuw Amsterdam Advisors, a life sciences consulting firm. He is regarded as one of the top marketing experts in the Life Sciences industry noted for combining a calm demeanor with a shrewd negotiation skill set that allows for navigating the most challenging business environments on behalf of his client firms.
