Healthy Social Life Why good friends are so important to your health

Healthy social life: Good friends play a big role in the immune system

It has long been known that the defenses can be strengthened with certain foods. Also, sufficient exercise strengthens the immune system. In addition, it is advised to sleep enough, to inhale regularly sea or forest air and take turns taking a hot and cold shower to protect against infections. Another tip for a strong immune system: Maintaining social life.

Friendships serve health

That loneliness harms the health and friendships are good for psyche and body, has been known for some time and was partially confirmed in scientific research. British researchers found that a healthy circle of friends can protect against depression. Even virtual contacts seem to have positive effects: US scientists reported in the journal "National Academy of Science" that many Facebook friends increase life expectancy. An intact social life also helps to strengthen the immune system.

Family and friends not only give us closeness, support, trust, and affiliation, but are also important to our immune system. If something is wrong in our social life, we are more prone to illness. (Image: Antonioguillem / fotolia.com)

In times of stress more susceptible to diseases

It is not particularly surprising that you are more susceptible to a cold or flu in or after a stress phase. Finally, during this time the immune system is attacked.

Chronic stress can arise in many ways, including when something is wrong in social life.

Contacts with family and friends play a significant role in the immune system. How important they really are for us, experts explain in a recent news agency dpa.

Social environment gives us closeness, support and trust

Prof. Christian Schubert from the University Hospital in Innsbruck, who has been researching the interactions between the psyche and the immune system for years, describes a good social environment as an "elixir of life".

Although classical immunology has long been skeptical, in the meantime we are dealing with "facts that can no longer be dismissed," explains the psychoneuroimmunologist in the dpa report, which points out that the immune system can be conditioned.

According to the information, it is possible to observe modifications of the genetic material in the laboratory down to the cell nucleus.

However, it is not the short-term mental stress that troubles us, but the chronic - such as loneliness.

As will be explained further, the social environment gives us closeness, support, trust, and affiliation. If we do not have that, it often leads to loneliness and bitterness, which in turn can result in chronic stress.

As a result, external stresses are processed worse. In the worst case, it causes us to get sick, sometimes physically too.

Increased risk of illness due to involuntary loneliness

Nevertheless, one does not have to surround oneself with friends with a giant clique. As Prof. Thomas Fydrich from the Humboldt University in Berlin explains according to dpa, the size of the social network correlates only slightly with the satisfaction of a person.

"Because loneliness is not objective," says the expert. Some couples are self enough. And even many a hermit who is on his own, lives contentedly. But when people are involuntarily lonely, the risk of illness increases.

But who gets what disease? "This is a very exciting question for which there is still no concrete answer," says Schubert.

According to the expert, it is clear that several factors are involved in this: for example, genetic, the personality structure and the living environment.

Some people would then be more likely to catch one virus under some circumstances, others would develop an allergy, and others would struggle with inflammation.

Even in people with depression, the immune system is reduced.

As further explained, active social life is no guarantee for mental and physical health.

After all, the immune system is a very complex and sometimes fragile entity. Not only the psyche plays a role here. Also, sleep, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are crucial to strengthen the body's defenses.

Do something with other people

In addition, social life can also become a risk factor, such as when one can not say "no" and the contact with others becomes too much, explains Fydrich. In such cases, there is a kind of "social stress" that is not healthy.

Caring for relatives is an extreme case of social stress. According to Schubert, caregivers are particularly at risk when the task makes them overburdened.

According to dpa Fydrich explains in addition: "Especially in a stressful situation such as caring, it is important to mobilize resources and to discuss his problems with someone."

A social network works like a buffer. The more varied and versatile, the greater the effect.

A social environment that consists of more than one person can be beneficial. For example, if a caregiver becomes ill, separates, or dies, the other people can absorb it at least a little.

Therefore, for people who are rather withdrawn, as well as couples who are mostly for themselves, Fydrich recommends: "Go in clubs, do something, do something with others!"

It's not about doing something extra ambitious or intense. Even playing cards once a month may already be enough care for one's own social network - and thus increase the support resources for a future crisis situation. (Ad)