How Best Friends Enhance Your Health and Life
By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer
Where would we be without friends? June 8th is Best Friends Day, and that’s something to feel good about. No matter which month or day, friends brighten up our lives… and friendship affects our health, too.
The health effects of friendship
There’s no denying it: Having friends makes you healthier (which also means you make your friends healthier). Friendship creates an enormous mental health boost. Friends allow you to feel safe, secure, relaxed, and more comfortable with yourself. A good friend can help you heal after stressful or traumatic events. Having a close bond with someone gives you more self-worth and a greater sense of purpose.
The Mayo Clinic explains that having friends isn’t just good for your mental health, but your physical health too: “Adults with strong social connections have a reduced risk of many significant health problems, including depression, high blood pressure and an unhealthy body mass index (BMI).” Keep in mind, you don’t have to have a large number of friends to get physical and mental health benefits. It’s about quality, not quantity.
On the other hand, loneliness has adverse effects on your health. Loneliness can lead to a greater risk for Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and mental illness. In this day and age of Facebook “friends” and other social media followers, so many of us are lonely and longing for friendship that’s actually real.
How to make new best friends
It’s easy to think a “best friend” must be someone you’ve already known for many years. But actually, it’s possible to find new best friends even as an adult. The key is to be open-minded and willing to get to know people from different backgrounds. Try to see the best in people and think of ways to say and do nice things for them.
You can meet new potential friends by joining a local group of people who share your favorite hobbies. Or you could get out of your comfort zone and try a new activity. Strike up conversations by talking about the activity you’re currently doing. It may feel a little awkward at first but try to have a positive attitude. You never know when a casual conversation will eventually lead to a deep friendship.
Things to do with your best friend
There are so many ways to celebrate Best Friends Day. But really, any day when you can spend time with your best friend is worth celebrating!
Video call or talk on the phone - Texts and DMs are nice, but there’s something special about hearing your best friend’s voice and being able to react and respond in real time. Have a call with them and share encouraging words and funny stories.
Exercise together - It’s easier to stay consistent about exercise if you have a friend by your side to motivate you. You’ll help them stay motivated too, and you’ll both have fun while keeping your bodies strong.
Watch a funny movie - Seeing a funny movie with your best friend isn’t just a way to have a good time. It’s also great for your health. Laughter improves health in many ways, such as reducing cortisol, relaxing your muscles, helping your body get more oxygen, and improving bloodflow.
Cook together - Even if cooking isn’t your strong suit (or your friend’s), cooking is about experimenting, getting messy, and having fun, so why not try it? Who knows, maybe you two will cook up something tasty you’ll want to make again and again.
Spend time in nature - Get some fresh air with your best friend by walking a nature trail, going to a park, hanging out at a beach or lake, going camping, or whatever you want to do to enjoy the great outdoors. Being in nature has relaxing effects which will help you and your friend have a bonding moment.
Write a handwritten card or letter - This is a sweet way to make your best friend feel special and tell them how much they mean to you. A handwritten message is personal and heartfelt because your friend will be able to imagine you taking the time to write it by hand.
I’m sure there are lots more ideas you can think of. But it’s not really about what you do… it’s about who you’re with. When you have best friends who care about you, you can try new things, achieve goals, and handle any situation in life.
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Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.