Having Good Friendships Can Extend Your Life Expectancy

There is nothing like a good old laughing session with a friend or friends. You know, the kind; where you can’t breathe, tears are coming out your eyes, and someone in the middle of it snorts. Of course, the laughing gets louder at that point! Not only is laughter great medicine, but friendships, for any reason, are good for our lives and life expectancy. Research has shown that women especially live longer when they have good friendships or at least one good friend.

Harvard Medical School says this about having a good friend:

“…they’ve found that it helps relieve harmful levels of stress, which can adversely affect coronary arteries, gut function, insulin regulation, and the immune system. Another line of research suggests that caring behaviors trigger the release of stress-reducing hormones.”

Friendships are stress-reducing, but research shows they can also be life-extending. This makes complete sense to me. A good friend will listen when stressful situations occur or will help us celebrate our victories. In addition to the benefits of having a good friend or friendships, the friend who gives will also benefit. It is a give and take and a cycle of love and support that truly gives value to our lives and will add to our good health.

We are never meant to be an island but a refuge from the storms of life for one another. Friends make our lives worth living and will enhance every experience. Not only do we have a good confidant in a good friend, but someone who is a buffer when the storms of life become way too tough to endure. Whereas friendships can never be perfect because we are not perfect as people, but they can be life-saving!

Loving you from here,

Dr. Rev. Jenine Marie

Resource: Harvard Medical School

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