Are Friendships Good for Your Health? A Call for Friendships as Preventative Medicine
Written by Illa Garcia December 2018
Edited by Vanessa Carrillo March 2023
From Health Rabbit Hole to Social Butterfly
Now that I have a more normal schedule, I've been making sure to spend more time with friends. Although I sacrifice healthy eating and gym time to attend these events, I have to say that I feel so much better. But is having friends just as beneficial as those other health habits?
It’s so easy for me to fall into a “health rabbit hole” and prioritize only grocery shopping, meal prep, exercise, and sleep while neglecting supportive friendships. Normally, when I have to cut things out of my life, friendships are the first to go. I always believed that there wasn't a direct benefit to friendships like there is with a healthy diet. Events such as “yoga and wine night” or “5k at ___ Pizzaria with a pint of beer” never made sense to me, and I always thought they were unhealthy. However, I was wrong! ... kind of. I delved into scientific research on the health benefits of friendship, and here's what I found:
In a 2002 study, men without strong social ties were more likely to die within 10 years, regardless of their health status or job.
In a 2009 study, participants with the fewest social ties were more likely to suffer from heart disease, anxiety, and depression.
In a Swedish study with 13,600 participants, those who had few or no friends increased their risk of a heart attack by 50%.
Isn’t that crazy? I’m always skeptical about studies like these that don't suggest the reason behind the relationship or why these health benefits occur. So, I dug deeper.
Pictures from a friends weekend at The Greenbrier
Cardivasucular Benefits
Studies suggest that friendships can improve your physical health by decreasing the stress response that leads to inflammation and eventually a heart attack. Think about when you’re going through a stressful time, and you have people in your life who genuinely care about you and support you through it. These friends can reduce your chances of having a heart attack!
Mental Health Benfits
Supportive friends can also improve your mental health, reducing your need to engage in negative coping mechanisms (such as drugs, alcohol, or unhealthy eating).
Encouragement
Additionally, having healthy and positive friends can share healthy tips or even encourage you to adopt healthier habits, unlike when you're alone.
Bad Friends, Bad Habits
However, all of this can be negative too. Research suggests that having unsupportive friends or those who cause stress can have a detrimental effect on your health. Friends with unhealthy habits can also rub off on you, so be mindful of who you surround yourself with! Make sure the people you choose to spend your time with are healthy and uplift your spirits.
Final Thoughts
Some researchers are calling for public policy to consider healthy friendships as “preventive medicine.” I think this is a great idea because the health benefits of friendships are often overlooked, especially by people like me who have Type A personalities. Skipping a gym session to be social or going to eat pizza with friends should be regarded as just as healthy (if not more) than eating a healthy meal alone in a dark apartment. Wouldn't it be fantastic if people viewed a picture of a bunch of friends hanging out on Instagram as just as healthy as someone with a six-pack drinking a green smoothie? Personally, I will make an effort to prioritize friendships just like I prioritize any other healthy habit, and you should too!