International Day of Friendship; reach out to old friends and new ones!
July 16, 2019
Tuesday 30th July 2019 marks the UN’s International Day of Friendship, read here about how making and maintaining friendship can support your health.
4 reasons to make/maintain friendships:
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Friends may help you live longer – a problem shared is a problem halved! Those with strong friendship ties have been found to have lower blood pressure, BMI, and inflammation levels, all of which lead to a longer life! (1)
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Friends are supportive of one another – there is no doubt that a friend’s advice and company is priceless, through the good times and bad. Having friends can reduce your stress levels and promote happy feelings whilst drowning out feelings of loneliness.
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Friends maintain your brain sharpness – healthy brain cells are built up and connections between neurons are made by mentally stimulating activities with friends. Fun activities that we all love provide companionship and limit feelings of loneliness that can lead to dementia (2)
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Friends make you laugh – there’s nothing better than getting together and having a giggle with your friends, and this great for you too! Laughing has been found to reduce stress levels and release endorphins making you feel happier and healthier! (3)
For these and many other reasons we say reach out to friends today! Whether it be by sharing a bag of our Jujube fruits over tea with old friends, or making new ones by joining local groups, do it for you!
Let us know in the comments below how you plan to celebrate International Day of Friendship.
Find Jujube/ red dates here.
Sources:
- https://sociology.unc.edu/unc-chapel-hill-researchers-show-how-social-relationships-reduce-health-risk-in-each-stage-of-life
- https://thinkhealth.priorityhealth.com/the-health-benefits-of-friendship/
- https://www.depressionalliance.org/benefits-of-laughter/
