7 benefits of having friends, according to science

Friends are one of the great supports in our lives. Everyone who is fortunate enough to have them knows it. Being able to count on someone who loves you and for that person to count on you alleviates problems and gives excitement and intensity to one’s life. But not only that. Science has also shown that it brings other important benefits.

Good friends don’t have to be perfect, or ready to take care of all your needs. It is enough that they accept you, that they are interested in what happens to you and that they are willing to listen to you.. Friendship is a simple and profound gift at the same time.

“Friendship is more difficult and rarer than love. Therefore, we must save as”.

-Alberto Moravia-

Various studies have proven that having good friends improves our health in general. Both on the physical plane and on the mental plane. So that you know these contributions in greater detail, we will immediately talk to you about 7 benefits that we enjoy by being able to count on them.

1. Friends help reduce stress

Stress has many origins. However, one of its most frequent causes is the difficulty in adequately dealing with daily stresses. It occurs when there is a tension between reality, as it is, and the resources we have to accept it and adapt to it.

Well, friends help us reduce that tension. The mere fact of having a space for communication selfless, reduces stress. The feeling of support that friends provide reduces anxiety. That is why they help us control stress and, with it, many of its consequences.

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2. They contribute to improving general health

According to research published in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, those who have good friends enjoy better health. This is not surprising if we take into account that friendship increases the quality of life.

When you have someone who sincerely cares about you, you increase your level of self-care.. On the contrary, the feeling of loneliness usually leads to abandonment. If you feel like no one cares about you, it will be harder for you to take care of yourself. And this ends up affecting your health.

3. Those who have friends feel less pain

The publication Psychosomatic Medicine showed a study on the relationship between physical pain and affect. It could be verified that Those who have affectionate people around them perceive pain less intensely.

The same happens in the opposite case. More isolated people tend to experience physical pain more severely.. We must remember that all physical pain brings with it emotional suffering. But those who have friends also have a better emotional disposition. And this reduces physical pain.

4. The heart becomes stronger

A study carried out at Duke University (United States) presented evidence that Those who have strong friendship ties with other people enjoy better cardiovascular health. In fact, in this research friendship is compared to physical exercise. Both factors have positive effects on the heart.

To carry out this study, they took a group of 1,000 people as a base. All of them had cardiovascular diseases. Within five years, half of those who had no friends were dead.. And 85% of those who had friends had improved.

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5. They help us prolong life

In 2010, A group of researchers from the United Kingdom compiled 148 studies on the relationship between emotional ties and mortality. They wanted to determine how consistent the different research on this matter was. In total, their analysis included 300 thousand people.

The results were overwhelming. In all the studies carried out up to that point there was a clear relationship between loneliness and death. It was evident that those who had friends lived longer lives. Friendship has indisputable effects in this aspect.

6. They help prevent obesity

Although it may seem incredible, science has not yet fully explained obesity. Although genetic, metabolic and psychological factors are known to be involved, definitive causes have not yet been established for some cases. In fact, Some theories hold that weight gain is a form of defense. It increases when a person feels vulnerable.

An investigation published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine try to clarify this point. Indicates that Friendship is a very high emotional compensation factor. In fact, as much as the food. Those who have friends tend not to eat compulsively.

7. They help increase mental acuity

Human interaction is a factor that stimulates the brain. The mere fact of having a conversation or thinking about a reality different from your own energizes brain activity. On the other hand, those who remain isolated tend to lose cognitive abilities.

In the case of people who have a mental illness this is more critical. In fact, one of the triggers for it is precisely isolation, and one of the factors that most contributes to healing is friendship.

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Having a friend is having a treasure, don’t doubt it. More than “getting” friends, our main task is to learn to be good friends with others.. The rest will come in addition. The benefits are immense, as we have seen. But beyond that, friends bring an additional dose of tenderness to your life, being the best antidote to bitterness.