The Ties That Bind: How Socializing Improves Your Health

An active social life can be just as important for healthy aging as a balanced diet and exercise. Studies show that people who have good social networks live longer and better. How socially connected you are now may help determine how healthy and independent you will be in the future.

The benefits of staying connected
It may take some effort to stay socially connected. As time goes on, you may not have the same ties and support systems that you relied on in the past. Friends and family members may move away or die. It may feel like it's just too hard to seek out new people to add to your social circle. But when you make the effort, you may be pleasantly surprised at how fulfilling it can be. Not only will you have more fun, but a strong social network may help you:

• Keep your brain healthy, so you stay mentally sharp and less likely to develop dementia
• Live a more active, pain-free life
• Reduce your risk for physical and mental disability and disease
• Have better health outcomes
• Enjoy a sense of well-being
• Live longer

Some studies suggest that people without a strong social network are twice as likely to die in a given period as those who have one. Social isolation may lead to a state of ongoing stress that in turn may speed up the aging process.

Tips for building a social support system
If you look around, you may find many opportunities to develop social connections in your community. Some available options may be to:

• Take an adult-education course or classes in yoga, cooking or something else that interests you.
• Get involved at your place of worship or in a club or organization.
• Take part in programs at your local community and senior centers.
• Volunteer for a cause you believe in or at a local school, museum or animal shelter.
• Join a fitness center or a walking or biking club.
• Plan a social gathering, like a game-playing or movie-watching night.

Along with meeting new people, be sure to keep up with the friends you already have. Devoting more time and effort to current friendships can lead to deeper, more enriching relationships. Having a strong, mutually supportive bond with a few other individuals can be a key to healthy aging.