Hanging Out With Your Friends At Least Twice A Week Could Help You Live Longer, According To Research
A little quality time with your BFFs is like food for the soul. And apparently, there is actual scientific evidence to back that up. According to research conducted by the University of Oxford, you should probably plan to hang with your pals twice a week-it's good for your mental and physical health.
People with larger friend groups are less likely to suffer from illnesses, they recover quicker from surgery, and in general are just less likely to die. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal. I chill with my besties and I get to live longer? K. Cool.
"The figure of twice a week comes from our findings that this is the amount of time that you typically spend with your closest friends/family," professor of evolutionary psychology Dr. Robin Dunbar told the Huffington Post. "For both sexes (no surprise), having a large, well-integrated social network has a significant impact on both physical and emotional health."
There are a number of reasons for this. Women have a coping mechanism UCLA researchers have called "tend and befriend." Basically, girls respond to stress better when they have friends. It has a lot to do with a hormonal factor: Oxytocin, aka the "love hormone," is omitted in our brains when we spend time with people we love.
And guys, this is not just a female thing either. You get it, too! "Bonds can be formed through a range of activities from team sports to male banter-or simply having a pint with your pals on a Friday night," Dunbar continued. "However, the key to maintaining strong friendships is to meet up twice a week and do stuff with the four people closest to you."
BRB, calling my besties ASAP.
