Building and maintaining social relationships can have a huge impact on our overall wellness, especially as we age. Social activities are important because they help ward off loneliness and prevent feelings of isolation, and they provide us with a sense of purpose. Organized social outings and groups give us something to look forward to on a regular basis that gets us out of a chair and into someone else’s life. Here are a few of the benefits that come from staying socially engaged as you grow older:
- Improved cognitive function—Social activities can help you stay mentally sharp. Research has revealed that people who maintain supportive relationships with family, friends, and neighbors have better overall mental health. One study found that elderly women who enjoyed daily social contact with a large network of people had a significantly lower risk of developing cognitive impairments or dementia.
- Reduced stress—Seniors who feel stronger connections to other people have lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The way you keep in touch matters, too: Face-to-face socializing has been shown to be more effective at staving off depression than communicating only by phone or email.
- Better physical health—Research has demonstrated that socially integrated adults are less likely to be obese, experience inflammation, or develop high blood pressure. In fact, being socially isolated elevates older adults’ risk of developing high blood pressure even more than having diabetes.
- Increased longevity—People who maintain good social ties tend to live longer than those who don’t. One study noted that the risk of death among people with the fewest social connections was over twice as high as the risk among men and women with the greatest number of social connections.
It’s clear that maintaining your social well-being can come with a whole host of mental and physical rewards. So use the ideas outlined above for inspiration—and get out there!