Do you want to be happier? You should see your girlfriends this often
When I haven't seen my girlfriends for a long time and someone organizes a girls' night, I recharge. Whether we're sitting on the couch with snacks or going to the beach for an evening, it doesn't matter what we do, because we can have good conversations anywhere. The best friendships are those with girlfriends whom you can wander through nature, but also in the weekend city you can enjoy drinks together. People with whom everything is fun, and the most important thing is, of course, that you can rely on each other. Now there is also evidence for this: research shows that women need a girls' night on average every 22 days. Does spending time with girlfriends actually have a demonstrably positive effect on our physical and mental well-being?
A girls' night every 22 days
Talker Research is a research agency that conducts consumer research through online surveys. Two thousand American women over the age of 21 participated in this study. 78 percent of the women said that girls' nights are important for feeling recharged. 62 percent even said they would prefer to choose a girls' night over a romantic dinner with their partner. And 83 percent said that during a girls' night, they prefer just catching up, rather than having a planned organized activity. It is important to mention that this is consumer research and not a scientific study. However, there is other scientific evidence that demonstrates the importance of friendship among women.
Good friendships help against stress
Female friendships are often characterized by open conversations and sharing personal feelings and experiences. A scientific review article from 2023, published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, examined what existing studies say about the influence of social bonds among women on their well-being. It emerged that social support can be associated with physical stress responses, including changes in cortisol and heart rate. In short, good friendships are not only fun, they can literally help you cope better with stress.
The ‘errand friend’
That it really doesn't matter what the activity is, we also see reflected on social media. The term ‘errand friend’ is increasingly appearing on TikTok, referring to that friend with whom you do the most spontaneous and everyday activities. Grocery shopping, going to the gym, or walking the dog: it’s all more fun when you do it together.
@janie__theriault Being together makes everything more fun, highly recommend doing Sunday errands with your bestie 😆 #fyp #hangout ♬ original sound – Music+
Bring that group chat back to life
Whether you're going out for a nice dinner or just want to hang out on the couch, in the end, it’s about who you’re with and not what you do. I must say that I don’t see my girlfriends every 22 days, but much more often. But if you have indeed hit that 22 days, then this might be your sign to bring that group chat back to life.
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