7 ways strong social connections are good for your health

Excerpt:在日常生活中保持、扩大或加深社会联系有助于预防或缓解抑郁和焦虑，保护心脏，增强免疫系统。研究表明，强大的社会联系和支持也能促进大脑健康，可能会降低患痴呆症的风险，降低身体残疾的风险，并与更长寿有关。

To help make your 2022 be the best it can be, focus on maintaining, expanding, ordeepening social connectionsin your daily life. That’s especially important after celebrating with family and friends during the holiday season to help avoid an emotional letdown or social isolation.

麦克马斯特大学的一项研究报告称，在新冠肺炎大流行期间，感到孤独的加拿大老年人出现抑郁症状的可能性是其他老年人的5倍。Social connection was identified as the strongest protective factor against depression, among over 100 modifiable factors,* according to a recent study inThe American Journal of Psychiatry．

Here are some other important ways social connections provide positive, protective health benefits for seniors:

  1. 降低压力，保护心脏。Studies show strong social relationships help to reduce stress and the risks of heart disease,* according to the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University.

  2. Social support bolsters brain health.Having someone whom you can count on to listen when you need to talk is associated withgreater cognitive resilience and brain health, * reported a 2021Journal of the American Medical Association study．有好的倾听者的老年人比缺乏支持性倾听者的同龄人在认知上更敏锐。

  3. Strengthen immunity.Strong social connections boost the immune system, helping you to recover from disease faster,* according to Stanford University. People with strong social support systems were less likely to develop a cold after exposure to a common cold virus,* reported a Carnegie Mellon University study.

  4. Ease anxiety and depression.Connecting with others can lower anxiety and depression,* as well as reducing blood pressure and heart rate,* advises the Canadian Mental Health Association.

  5. Reduce the risk of dementia.Brain imaging revealed older adults who reported higher levels of social engagement had more grey matter volume in brain regions relevant in dementia,* reported aJournal of Gerontology study．灰质参与信息处理，痴呆症患者的灰质减少。* Frequent social contact improves cognitive reserve and may lower dementia risk,* according to aPLOS Medicine study．

  6. Lower disability risk and increase longevity.Older adults with a high level of social activity had a 43% lower risk of physical disability* than those who were less social,*reported aJournal of Gerontology study．许多研究还表明，牢固的社会关系与长寿有关。*

  7. Meaningful conversations promote health and happiness.A 2021 University of Chicago study found that engaging in deep and meaningful conversations with strangers leads to stronger social connections, and greater health and happiness.* When people went beyond small talk with strangers, they found others were interested in learning about their deeper thoughts and feelings, and they enjoyed the experience more than shallow conversations.

For older adults whose social networks often get smaller,one big advantage of moving into or living in a retirement homeis the opportunity to easily meet new friends and build meaningful relationships.