3 Reasons Why You Should Socialize Often
Humans are social by nature; it’s our need. Here’s why you should socialize more. We work with others, and as a whole community, we work even better. But sometimes, some people don’t like being around people. It could be due to introverted personalities or personal reasons that they don’t want to mingle with others.
Whatever the reasons are, you can’t convince people who don’t want to be with others. But did you know that socializing is good for your health? Don’t believe me? Read on for more.
Spending time with loved ones or friends is suitable for you and everyone. You feel refreshed after a few hours with friends or family unless you end up drunk; that’s another story! But generally speaking, socializing does something to our brains. Here’s why we should socialize more often.
1. Socializing helps improve your brain.
Cognitive decline is part of aging, although not all of us may experience it—however, those who do experience memory loss while talking and thinking processes become less sharp. Many studies have proven that factors like social relationships or socializing can help improve or worsen this case.
A study in 2017 by researchers in Dublin, Ireland, evaluated how social interaction affects older adults ages 50 and above. Adults who were in social communities, active in social events, and had support systems are much healthier in their cognitive function. They also had better emotional regulation, memory recall, processing speed, and verbal fluency. Socialization also reduces the risk of dementia and reduces cognitive decline.
2. Socializing improves your immunity.
Socialization helps improve your immune system, while social isolation weakens it. According to research, people with smaller social networks have weaker responses to vaccines. It could be due to loneliness and lack of social connections that cause stress. When a person is stressed, the immune system is less efficient.
Low social support also links to higher levels of inflammation in the body. When the body suffers from chronic inflammation, this could contribute to several serious illnesses like chronic kidney diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
The stress of not having any social relationships also affects poor health habits like a sedentary lifestyle and alcohol abuse. These habits weaken the immune system. Positive social bonds encourage positive health habits. Some best practices that boost the immune system to be healthy include running, hiking, and other similar activities, and what better way to do these than having a group of friends? It is why you should socialize often.
Even introverts must have a sense of community. It can be something other than a significant social event or group. It could be an online community where you can be yourself, meet new friends with the same passion, or anything that gives you time to recharge and feel better.
3. Socializing can boost your mental health.
Social isolation is sound at some point, but it can take a toll in the long run. You start to feel lonely and isolated. After all, this has been a method of torture used for many prisoners of war. While all being by yourself has its perks, the transition into loneliness is the worse.
Connecting with others provides you with a sense of kinship. The feeling of belonging, being supported, and being cared for is something that we all strive to have. When a person feels supported, we feel better. Our self-esteem is higher, and we have a greater sense of purpose. This type of support also reduces the risk of anxiety and depression disorders.
Laughter has proven to have health benefits too. It helps reduce stress and improves the quality of sleep. Of course, sharing a good laugh with others makes sense when you have positive relationships.
Another positive aspect of socializing is it boosts your mood. Studies even agree that simply talking to other people makes us generally happy. But of course, this may depend on your type of personality too. If you’re extroverted, you may enjoy meaningful conversations, but if you’re introverted, you may not enjoy half-hearted conversations.
Yes, you should socialize more.
We are social beings, and even if you are the most introverted person in the world, you need to have some form of socialization to keep going. By nature, human beings work as a community. Self-isolation is not the answer. Maintaining a balance between being by yourself and seeing others is the key to healthy mental and physical health.
