{"id":19020,"date":"2020-04-22T00:02:56","date_gmt":"2020-04-22T00:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=19020"},"modified":"2020-11-02T19:56:33","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T19:56:33","slug":"human-connection-and-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/human-connection-and-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How Human Connection Affects Our Health"},"content":{"rendered":"Social, human connection is more imperative for good health than you may think. Here’s a deep look at deep relationships, six of their major health benefits, and how to better connect to the people who matter most in your life.<\/em>\r\n\r\nHumans have a fundamental need to connect with others. It\u2019s right up there with the need to eat, drink, and breathe.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s not surprising, then, that positive social connections cast a warm afterglow on many health metrics, from body composition to blood pressure to immune function. Social support has even been linked to a longer life<\/a>.\r\n\r\nAt the time of this writing (April 2020), in-person socialization is discouraged in order to keep us safe<\/a>. Because of this, we need to get creative to maintain our valued relationships.\r\n\r\nWe\u2019ll get to that later. First, let\u2019s cover the basics of human connection, and how this connection benefits our health.\r\n

What Is Human Connection?<\/h2>\r\n“Connection is the energy,\u201d writes Bren\u00e9 Brown, PhD, LMSW<\/a>, in her book The Gifts of Imperfection<\/em><\/a>, \u201cthat exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”\r\n\r\nThe study of connection dates back many decades. In the late 1950s, psychologist Harry Harlow, PhD, found that young rhesus monkeys preferred a soft, cuddly cloth mother to a wire mother, even though the wire mother dispensed food. Food or not, the cuddly mother better simulated the connection<\/a> a mother provides her child.\r\n\r\nMany years later, in 1995, the social psychologist Roy Baumeister, PhD<\/a>, introduced his belongingness hypothesis<\/a>. Forming relationships, argued Baumeister, is a fundamental drive\u2014and our emotions exist, in part, to guide our bonds with other humans.\r\n\r\nAnd when these bonds are healthy, the health benefits are hard to miss. Read on.\r\n\r\n\"Two\r\n

6 Health Benefits of Human Connection<\/h2>\r\nWhen you look at the science, one thing is clear: Social connection benefits our health. Here are six examples.\r\n

1. Weight management<\/h3>\r\nAs it turns outs, social support inversely correlates with BMI. Most people rely upon body mass index (BMI)\u2014or weight divided by height\u2014to track body composition; BMI’s ranging from 18.5 to 25 are considered healthy<\/a>. Now, research shows that more social support is linked to healthier weights on average.\r\n\r\nIn a 2014 Journal of School Health study<\/a>\u00a0of 13,428 adolescents, children who felt more socially connected in their school environments tended to have lower BMI’s. Another 2013 study<\/a> of older Koreans found that the density of social networks, and the frequency of communication within those networks, positively correlated with healthier weights.\r\n

2. Mental health<\/h3>\r\nQuality relationships are the foundation of a happy life. We don\u2019t need science to tell us that. Nonetheless, scientists have studied the link between human connection and mental health fairly extensively. In one 2014 study<\/a>, for instance, Finnish researchers found that those with tighter social networks reported less loneliness<\/a> and more positive emotions in their daily lives.\r\n

3. Stress reduction<\/h3>\r\nCortisol<\/a> is a hormone your adrenals release during times of stress. Measuring your cortisol levels, then, is an effective way to gauge your stress. Less cortisol, less stress.\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s where human connection comes in. In one study of breast cancer patients<\/a>\u00a0in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, better social support was linked to lower cortisol levels.\r\n\r\nConnection can also reduce stress during extreme times. People who suffered head injuries\u2014a 2012 British study<\/a> found\u2014were less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if they joined support groups during their hospital stay.\r\n

4. Heart health<\/h3>\r\nMultiple studies have shown that human connection helps lower blood pressure<\/a>\u2014key for maintaining a healthy heart. In one interesting experiment<\/a>, researchers found that the presence of a friend helped reduce blood pressure during a \u201cpsychological challenge.\u201d What was this challenge, you ask? Everyone\u2019s favorite: Mental arithmetic.\r\n

5. Immune function<\/h3>\r\nBelieve it or not, human connection can strengthen the immune system<\/a>. Several studies have found that social support predicts how robust<\/a> the immune response will be. Those with richer social networks, for instance, have shown greater resistance<\/a> to the common cold.\r\n\r\nSocial support has also been linked to the antibody response<\/a> following the influenza (flu) vaccine. More support, more antibodies, more immunity.\r\n

6. Longevity<\/h3>\r\nIf you want to live a longer, healthier life\u2014it makes sense to prioritize human connection. According to a 2010 meta-analysis<\/a> of over 300,000 people, good social relationships were just as important for longevity as the avoidance of excessive smoking or drinking!\r\n\r\nWhat might explain this? For one, those with strong social support are more likely<\/a> to engage in healthy behaviors like exercise, proper nutrition, and stress management. Strong human connection also fosters positive emotions, which in turn positively impact the body.\r\n\r\nFinally, don\u2019t forget the five benefits we talked about earlier! They likely have an anti-aging effect<\/a> too.\r\n\r\n\"Man\r\n

How To Foster More Connection<\/h2>\r\nLike any aspect of health, you need to work at social, human connection. For some, it comes more naturally than others. But whatever your social situation, you can take steps towards deeper, more fulfilling relationships.\r\n\r\nHere are some ways to encourage connection in your life:\r\n