Socializing with family and friends boosts your physical and mental health

Baby it’s cold outside and there’s nothing more you would rather do than cozy up for some alone time, staying warm and reading a good book. But researchers agree that to stay healthy and happy, you need to socialize whether one on one or in a group.

Not staying connected to others creates the same risk to your health as high blood pressure, obesity and even smoking. Now, a trend toward smaller social networks and fewer close confidants is growing. "Feeling cared for and supported within a social network is particularly important for women in fostering self-care," says Todd Jackson, PhD, author of a study published last year linking high levels of social support and community involvement with healthier diet, exercise and sleep habits, among other positive effects.

Get and Stay Motivated: Having a cheerleader on hand when your workout regimen seems next to impossible is a proven way to maintain a healthy exercise routine. In fact, participants in a 2005 New England-area study who exercised with a partner lost significantly more weight than those who did it alone. Their weight loss after the first six months: at least 10 percent, for both partners.

Support in Good and Bad Times: Not only are you more inclined to soothe yourself with food when feeling lonely, but the therapy from talking through everyday problems with a friend can ward off more serious ones like depression or insomnia. What you get when you don't release your feelings on a regular basis is a balloon-like effect where stress builds up and blood pressure rises, eventually triggering a number of negative consequences, including moodiness and poor sleep. The toll it can take on you physically could end up being far worse than your initial worries

“Feeling cared for
and supported within
a social network is
particularly important
for women in
fostering self-care”

Accountability for a Healthier You: In Jackson's study, women who reported more consistent connection with family and friends were also more likely to keep up with routine medical appointments, a finding that might explain why social connectivity has also been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illness and diseases like cervical cancer in some women. The friends you keep are more than just a byproduct of where you work or grew up; they are actually a survival mechanism—friends are necessary for both physical and mental well-being.

Your Connection Map

● A sense of connection, experts say, develops after about a month of regular interpersonal contact, and can be nurtured in as little as 15 to 30 minutes a day.

● Brief chats with a friend or alone time with a spouse three to four times a week can do as much to boost your health as physical activity.

● Being in a crowded room with strangers can do the trick.

● If you don't have a strong social network where you live, taking public transportation or heading out to a coffee shop with a good read may have a similarly soothing effect.