Social Connection Is a Health Habit, Too

Hello, Shirley!

This week we’re back with another helpful health hint. So often we’re told that diet and exercise are the keys to living a healthy life. And while those are certainly important, what if I told you there’s another powerful factor that impacts your health just as much?

That factor is social connection.

Yes, having and maintaining meaningful relationships has been proven to improve quality of life both mentally and physically.

As humans, we have a biological need for connection and community. Just think about animals that travel in packs, there’s safety, support, and survival in numbers. While our world looks different today, our need for belonging hasn’t changed.

I experienced this firsthand when I moved to Worcester after living in Lowell for five years. I remember feeling unsettled and not quite understanding why. After some self-reflection, I realized that in Lowell I had built-in community through graduate school classes, gym friends, and coworkers. When I moved, that sense of connection was suddenly gone.

I knew I needed to rebuild it. So I joined a local run club, and the impact was almost immediate. Being surrounded by like-minded people with a shared goal significantly improved my mental health and overall sense of belonging.

That experience opened my eyes to just how important meaningful relationships truly are.

As we get older, connection doesn’t just happen automatically, we have to be intentional about it. Life gets busy. Work, family responsibilities, and daily tasks quickly fill our schedules. And more often than not, social connection is the first thing sacrificed when time feels tight.

But our health depends on it more than we realize.

So this week, I challenge you to nurture the relationships that matter to you.

Have a long drive? Call the friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with. Running errands? Invite someone to come along. Interested in trying a new workout class? Ask a friend to join you.

Small efforts can make a big difference.

Here’s to getting better every day.