Next year will be a turning point when people around the world finally realize that their health is not just physical and mental, but also social. Social health focuses on relationships. It’s the aspect of your overall health and well-being that comes from your connections with family, friends, colleagues, and community.
In recent years, attention to social health has accelerated. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to our social lives and their decline. According to a MetaGallup study, 24 percent of people around the world feel lonely. The American Immigration Council’s Belonging Barometer study also found that 74 percent of Americans do not feel connected to their local community.
That emotion correlates with behavioral changes. Today, people spend an average of 24 hours more alone each month than they did 20 years ago, and 20 hours less with friends. Participation in community groups, membership in local clubs, and affiliation with faith organizations decreased. Additionally, the proportion of single-person households has more than doubled since 1960. Another study found an alarming decline in the number of close friends adults have. In 1990, only 3 percent of Americans had no close friends. Today, that number is over 12%.
The crisis has spurred efforts such as the US Surgeon General making loneliness a public health priority and the World Health Organization establishing a global commission focused on human connections.
However, most people still underestimate how important relationships are to living a long life. In fact, social health is associated with a 50% increase in longevity and is as important to our longevity as avoiding smoking, tackling obesity, and regular exercise. We urgently need to prioritize and invest in social health. Here’s how:
Make social health a priority
To be physically healthy, for example, aim to walk 10,000 steps a day or get eight hours of sleep each night to nourish your body. To improve your mental health, you can meditate daily or go to therapy weekly. Being socially healthy requires similar intention and consistency. Try the 5-3-1 guideline. Aim to interact with five different people each week, maintain at least three close relationships, and connect for an hour a day, preferably in person. These numbers may be higher or lower than you personally grow in, just as we all need to take in different calories. Use them as a starting point to explore what social wellness looks like for you.
start small
Simple actions can make a meaningful difference to social health. For example, research shows that people tend to underestimate how much a kind message via text or email will be appreciated, and that even a short phone call a few times a week can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness. I am. So let’s start by looking for connections. Instead of scrolling through headlines while waiting in line or listening to a podcast on your commute, text a photo to a friend or call a family member to chat. Unlike managing your own physical and mental health, managing your social health also directly benefits the people you connect with.
think big
Following the boom in the mental health industry, the next health frontier in our economy will center on social health. Entrepreneurs and investors are already taking notice, with innovations like social fitness gyms, friendship coaches, and AI companions becoming increasingly common. But no matter your profession, there is an opportunity to shape a socially healthier future. For example, educators can teach relational skills in the classroom. Your doctor can test for isolation during your consultation. Architects can incorporate gathering spaces into the design. City staff can support local community building. And employers can create a connected workplace culture.
Stretch your social muscles
Stretching may be necessary depending on your specific life stage or situation, such as recently moving to a new city and needing to build a community in your new home, or working remotely and wanting more face-to-face interaction. It may be. Exercise your social muscles and expand your social network. But how? Research shows that friendships develop through regular contact and shared experiences, and the more time you spend with someone, the closer you become. For example, one study tracked the social networks of students transitioning from high school to college for a year and a half and found that new friendships disappear unless they regularly communicate and do activities together. . Similarly, another study found that for adults who recently moved to a new city, it took at least 50 hours to turn a new acquaintance into a friend. The more time you spend together, the closer your friendship will become.
deepen existing relationships
Stretching is about increasing the amount of connections in your life. Toning means improving the quality of your connection. This requires curiosity and vulnerability. In a meta-analysis, researchers concluded that when you confide in someone, they like you more, and you like the person you confide in even more. Please choose the appropriate situation. Disclosing personal information is received well by people you already know and by new acquaintances in one-on-one conversations, but not necessarily by strangers in public. Focus on depth over width. Sharing something intimate is more likable than sharing a lot of information. A study of more than 4,600 people in the United States, India, and Japan found that people across cultures are more likely to interact when they go beyond small talk and provide value through emotional connection, knowledge exchange, and practical assistance. I find that it feels more meaningful.
