YOUR SOCIAL LIFE MAKES YOU HEALTHY

By the way, did you know that I stopped eating? Or well, stopped binge eating, that is. I was done with it. That selfie only looks good from the angle above and my favorite shorts (feel free to call them PANTS) hug my curves a bit too dramatically. Healthy is the motto, especially with an eye on aging gracefully. But that's not the most important thing if you want to grow old happily.

One of Harvard's longest-running studies has been following more than 600 people for about 75 years. Look, when you talk about thoroughness... And yes, not smoking, eating greens, and exercising is pretty essential, but how social you are has just as much influence on your happily ever after. This applies to both love and friendship. The quality of your social life is actually the biggest indicator of whether you will grow old happily. I say aaaadios gym, hallooo wine with friends.

The old folks from the study who reached a certain age with a big smile had one thing in common: high-quality relationships. This had a positive impact on mental health without exception, and that mental state then does something for your physical health. People lacking those connections even lived shorter lives and got sick more often. Goodness. Dear friends, I’ll be calling all of you this weekend.

‘I say aaaadios gym, hallooo wine with friends’

Actually, it makes a lot of sense because blowing off steam with friends feels like a must, but it really is. You vent quite a bit, literally and figuratively. Everyone has a fight-or-flight mode, and you regulate that when you spill your deepest thoughts over a bottle of white wine. And honestly, you only do that with a loved one or friends you truly trust. There you have those deep relationships again. Releasing the fight-or-flight mode immediately helps keep the composition in your body healthy. How cool is that?

So when your besties call for wine and chit-chat or a girls‘ weekend? Go! And if your love says they want to stay with you forever? Do it! Think of it as a doctor's prescription; it keeps you a healthy and happy person.

Source: Thrillist