Humans are social creatures who need other people to survive. No matter how independent you are, you still need to build relationships. Connecting with your loved ones not only cuts down your stress, but a simple call can make them feel loved.
Whether it’s the holidays or an average day, connecting with your loved ones can encourage good cheer. You will enjoy the love with friends and family, but it also keeps you happy and healthy.
Why Are Family And Friends So Important
In difficult times, family and friends serve as essential pillars of support. Our mental well-being is enhanced by having a solid network of family and friends. It’s hard to stress how powerful bonds can be and how they can give you a good life. One should not put all of their efforts into making as many friends as possible solely to increase their support network. Instead, one should work on strengthening the relationships that are important to a few people in their social circle.
The love and support provided by loved ones can be crucial to your overall well-being. Family ties give us a sense of purpose and inspire us to do better. We’re not simply talking about blood relations either, as we can pick the family we want.
Family and friends play an essential role in a person’s development since they promote adaptability and resilience. They offer a more profound connection, providing many ways to navigate life’s ups and downs. We are who we are because of our family and friends – for better or worse.
How Bonds Help You Cope With Stress
When we’re feeling stressed, it’s often easy to find excuses to run away from our loved ones. We neglect our responsibilities, especially to the ones we hold closest.
Many tend to shy away from family and friends in tough times because we don’t want to burden them. Some want to resolve their issues by themselves or are too busy solving their problems to ask for help.
However, we are often better off if we face our stressors head-on.
Friends and family help ground us, especially during times of distress. This is essential in treating stress and depression, but even more so when coping with the lasting effects of trauma. Having someone by your side during tough times can help ease the pain.
In a study published in PLOS ONE, participants’ overall health, from stress, and happiness, to well-being, is remarkably better defined by their social connections. This indicates how important it is to your mental and physical health to spend time with family and close friends.
Your friends will motivate you to keep pushing on and support you in any way. They can help you stay positive and will help you overcome any obstacles you come up against.
Loved Ones Encourage You To Live
Your family inspires you to live life to the fullest, including having fun. They help improve your mental health and keep you in a better state of mind. When we feel the will to live, we are more likely to achieve greater things.
Spending time with your friends and loved ones can ease your mind off things. They will always want what’s best for you and include you in their adventures. Loved ones can also clear your mind off your problems.
Your friends and family can encourage you to be healthier, too. Getting in shape with activities you enjoy can be more enjoyable when you’ve got them there. They can help ease your social anxiety and help you clear your head.
Good Social Networks May Lengthen Your Life
Keeping in touch with family can inadvertently lengthen your life. Studies show that larger social networks can add years to your life. The additional benefits of talking to people you care about make it worth it to stay connected.
The study found that socially active people lived longer than those who were not. Even those just “slightly” more sociable had a reduced risk of death. This helped the researchers conclude that being out with friends can make you live longer.
Having a more extensive social network doesn’t just benefit you but also those who are close to you. While these results aren’t concrete, they are encouraging. Having many adult friendships and spending time with your family can increase your chances of living a longer, happier, and less stressful lifestyle.
Research suggests that having a good support system decreases your risk of premature death while being lonely has its risks. When people are around, they are less likely to indulge in risky behaviors like smoking and drinking.
They are also less likely to suffer from hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. Being socially active keeps you healthy and mentally strong.
The Bottom Line
Having people we love and care about our well-being can help us survive through life. They are responsible for keeping our minds and hearts healthy, cutting down on stress, and building our self-confidence. They keep us grounded and encourage us to be our happiest, best selves.
Make time to call your family and friends every day. Take them out to eat, watch a movie, or go for a hike. Let them know how much they mean to you. Your relationships are what truly make the world go round.
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