The Health and Wellness Benefits of Social Connection
The health and wellness benefits of social connection are strongly suggested by several scientific studies. This is especially true among older adults but also for anyone at any age.
Dr Hallowell, a psychiatrist who has successfully utilised connection as a treatment intervention, defines connection as “feeling a part of something larger than yourself, feeling close to another person or group, feeling welcomed, and understood.”
The physiological basis of bonding is thanks to a hormone called oxytocin which is released by hugging, holding hands, sexual activity, and massage. It is for this reason that oxytocin is frequently called the ‘bonding hormone’. Petting an animal can also release oxytocin. It seems that oxytocin works alongside other neurotransmitters including serotonin which helps with regulating mood, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which helps to reduce anxiety, and also dopamine, which increases pleasure.
Social connection has been shown in studies to potentially help to ‘maintain a healthy body mass index, control blood sugars, improve cancer survival, decrease cardiovascular mortality, decrease depressive symptoms, mitigate post traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and improve overall mental health’. Anecdotally, grandparents often describe feeling that caring for their grandchildren makes them healthier and more active. This is because they usually experience a strong emotional bond and often lead a more active, healthier lifestyle as a result of wishing to role model good habits to their grandchildren.
Conversely social isolation can create significant problems including:
- Depression. This seems to be because social support seems to affect our genetic and environmental risk for mental illness, through a range of factors.
- Increased morbidity (illness) and mortality (death), especially in older adults and more concerning is that social isolation is considered a major risk factor. There is a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Higher levels of interleukin-6. Interleukin-6 is an inflammatory molecule that is thought to be partly the cause of osteoporosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, some cancers and rheumatoid arthritis.
The power of community in creating wellness is shown in the following interesting facts from the scientific data. If your friends are overweight, you are more likely to be overweight compared to if your parents are overweight. The flip side of that is that you are more likely to have healthy habits if your friends do. So, the message is to get healthy friends.
However, there is a bit of a caveat. You can have too many friends which can lead to “role strain.” This is an inability to cope with multiple social obligations and to meet up to the expectations of your social role. Whilst wanting to be there for your friends and family is a real desire for most of us, alone time is important to ‘recharge your batteries’.
As is typical of any type of stress, being stressed out by the number of relationships in your life can also have physical effects. The stress of balancing multiple relationships instead of caring for yourself can cause issues with your sleeplessness and energy, among other physical effects. Try to balance out both the need and desire to be there for your family with the need and desire to have time for self-care. In my next article I will further discuss the benefits and science around ‘alone-time’. In the meantime, in terms of a social connection ‘prescription’ researchers suggest connecting with friends and/or family, that you have a good relationship with, ideally daily or as a minimum at least once a week. This connection ideally would be face-to-face but if not possible then a phone or video call, is also thought to be helpful.
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