Sounds oddly like one of those old credit card commercials, right?
But it’s not. It’s a post about friendship, and its impact on our health. Mental and physical.
Humans are social animals. That’s just the way we’re built. And even though endless research has been done on the topic, people forget that (unless you’re a hermit) we need people.
For women, connecting with female friends tends to be a fairly high priority. And it’s no wonder; a great deal of research has discovered that having strong friendships to rely on helps us cope with life’s challenges.
I can tell you that having friends like this can help you weather severe storms. I can't quote the actual specific scientific studies, but (real) research has shown that friendships have these benefits:
1) Friends can help you grow and try new things. Thanks to my friend Mina and my sister-in-law I’ve become quite a fan of snowshoeing, an activity I’d never tried before. I get exercise, and I get to spend time with two lovely women.
2) Having close friends can make traumatic events like divorce or death of a parent easier to handle. When someone’s mother dies...let’s just say your girlfriends drop everything to be with you.
3) Friends are a network we can rely on when we need help. When you need someone to watch your dog for the weekend, chances are you have at least one girlfriend who will step in and help.
4) Having a network of friends can lower blood pressure, leads to better immune system function, and better sleep. (this one is a true scientific fact)
5) Friends can encourage you and hold you accountable! A long time ago, a friend confided she’d gone through an awful trauma. We talked and talked about it. But it was really affecting every area of her life. One evening I gathered up the courage and told her she needed to see a psychologist. Because I was in no way qualified to help her. Thankfully, she did go see a therapist.
There you have some powerful reasons why friendships should be a priority in your life. To be honest, as a middle-aged woman I can tell you that friends are even more important as you age.
So as the summer reigns over us, I'd like to challenge you.
How about setting up some “friend dates” this summer? Don’t feel confined to going out to dinner. Here’s some things you can try:
- go for a hike, or kayak together
- revive your book club, or choose a book to read then discuss!
- if there’s a task your friend needs to do, how about helping her? if she’s holding a garage sale, spend 2 hours helping her sell!
I hope you set up some great dates and have a lot of fun this July.