Being Sociable is Good For Your Health
Gather the girls, it’s good for your health! Career girls, it’s time to pencil down a girl’s night out!
Aside from the positive effects on your mood of having a great night out with friends (and the negative ones the morning after if you’ve had one too many!), socialising can also be extremely beneficial to both your physical and mental health in the long term. Aside from eating well and exercising plenty, it’s important to include a social element as a regular part of life rather than being seen as a treat or reward.
That theory is backed up by a study which – if you’ll forgive the comparison between people and primates – was conducted for more than fifteen years on a group of female baboons in Africa. The Guardian published an article on the findings of the report in 2009 which shows that the more social connections the baboon has, the better the quality of life they would have.
“Females with strong social bonds may be shielded from social conflict and competition,” said Joan Silk who made the report, “and they might be able to forage more efficiently and nourish their offspring better.”
Silk also said that it could be this need to make friends which has led to the evolved larger size of the human brain – which could also be what gave humans their advanced knowledge; the healthy need to make friends!
So if you’re in need of a physical and mental boost, it could simply be that you need to reach out and make a new friend, or catch up with an old one. We recommend the following:
Seeing friends
Whether you want to pop round to a mate’s house for coffee and a biscuit, or even just feel like picking up the phone, you’ll be glad of the chance to have a catch up and it’ll be sure to cheer you up!
Trying something new
If your social life is in need of a new boost, why not try signing up for classes at your local college or joining a book club? That way you get to test the knowledgeable side of your brain as well as the social side!
Regular outings
Gather up your friends and make a big night of it. Plan it out start to finish.
Spend time with family
Plan a visit to your relatives – maybe you’ve got grandparents who live a little out of the way, or simply haven’t seen your siblings in a good while; you should make arrangements to meet up and have a brew.
Now, it’s time for a girl’s night out!
