Get Social: High correlation between social activity and physical and mental health
Sometimes itās very easy to feel like an introvert living in an extrovert’s world. For your Friday evenings, all you want to do is grab a glass of wine, sit on your couch, and delve into a good book. While taking a break from the world is important for mental health, the brainiacs of medicine have found out that being a little social can also have considerable effects on your psyche. Humans, after-all, are social creatures. Itās through human interaction that we are able to grow and in many ways, self-validate ourselves. There have been many studies going into the link between being a social butterfly and living a happy, healthy life.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. It’s not like you need to go clubbing every night and make sure you meet people in a daily basis. But you don’t want to sit at home most days in your solitary activities. We’re talking having a friend come over, or engaging in small-talk with a co-worker during some downtime. Casual social activities can be just as rewarding, and in many cases, easier to handle. Just how rewarding? Scientists have discovered instances in which an active social behavior correlated to a lower incidence of influenza. They have also discovered that people who would describe themselves with a solid friend base are more likely to live longer. The positive results just keep streaming in. Ultimately, scientists can agree that social behavior has an overall positive effect on us.
So then how social is social enough? Especially if you’re somebody that suffers from any sort of social anxiety? Well that depends entirely on you. If you’re not comfortable going out on a night on the town, meeting random people, then don’t do it! You’re more likely to come out of that with a weaker heart. You need to do what you’re comfortable with. Maybe do a typically solitary activity with a friend or family member. Or go on a walk in the great outdoors with somebody you trust. A social activity can literally be anything that involves another person. As long as you aren’t by yourself, you’re being social. And those kinds of activities will come with their own benefits that you couldn’t get on your own. You want to read a good book? Why not read it alongside a friend and talk about it. You can get insight that you otherwise couldn’t on your own. Getting a new perspective on something garners wisdom. Who can say no to wisdom?
In all seriousness though, there simply are too many positives attributed with being social every once and awhile. You’ll lead a happier, healthier life. And a healthy lifestyle typically means fewer visits to the cardiologist. As one of the best Denver heart centers in the state of Colorado, South Denver Cardiology can tell you that seeing less of you is a good thing.
How To Use This Information
Ā There are myriad advantages to being social every once and awhile. Make sure you’re getting together with somebody you enjoy spending time with or even just exchanging pleasantries with a stranger waiting at the bus stop. Being social can be a very empowering thing, and those kinds of feelings can lend themselves to a happier, healthier heart and mind. What do you do to be social?
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As with any health concerns, your specific treatment program should be discussed thoroughly with your primary care physician as well as any specialists who may need to be consulted ā like a cardiologist.
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