Give your social health a decent workout

Next year will mark a turning point when people around the world finally realize that their health is not only physical and mental, but also social. Social health focuses on relationships; It is the dimension of your overall health and well-being that comes from connection with family, friends, co-workers, and the community.

The focus on social health has accelerated in recent years. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to our social lives and their decline. According to a Meta Gallup survey, 24% of people All over the world they feel lonely. the Survey of the belonging barometer The American Immigration Council also found that 74 percent of Americans do not feel connected to their local community.

This feeling is linked to changing behaviours: today, people spend on average 24 more hours alone and 20 fewer hours with friends each month than they did two decades ago; Participation in community groups, membership in local clubs, and affiliation with religious organizations decreased; The proportion of one-person households has more than doubled since 1960. Another survey found that there has been a striking decline in the number of close friends among adults: In 1990, only 3 percent of Americans had no close friends; Today that number is higher than 12 percent.

This crisis has spurred initiatives such as the US Surgeon General raising loneliness as a public health priority, and the World Health Organization establishing a global commission focused on human connection.

However, the majority of people still underestimate the importance of relationships for their longevity. In fact, social health is linked to 50 percent promotion In longevity, which makes it important for our lives, such as avoiding smoking, treating obesity, and exercising regularly. We urgently need to prioritize and invest in social health. Here’s how.

Make social health a priority

To be physically healthy, you must nourish your body by walking 10,000 steps a day or sleeping eight hours a night, for example. To have good mental health, you can meditate daily or go to therapy weekly. Being socially healthy requires the same 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 spend one hour a day communicating, preferably face-to-face. Just as each of us needs to consume a different number of calories, these numbers may be higher or lower than what you personally eat; Use it as a starting point to explore what social health looks like for you.

Start small

Simple actions can make a meaningful difference to your social health. For example, studies have shown that people tend to underestimate how much sending a kind message via text or email is appreciated, and even short phone calls a few times a week can measurably reduce feelings of loneliness. So try connecting first: Instead of scrolling through headlines while waiting in line or playing an audio file on the go, send a photo to a friend or call a family member to chat. Unlike taking care of your physical and mental health, taking care of your social health also benefits the people you come into direct contact with.

Think big

In the wake of the booming mental health industry, the next health frontier in our economy will focus on social health. Entrepreneurs and investors are already starting to take notice, as innovations like social fitness gyms, friendship coaches, and AI companions become increasingly popular. But no matter your profession, you have opportunities to shape a socially healthier future. For example, teachers can teach relationship skills in the classroom; Doctors can check insulation during appointments; Architects can incorporate gathering spaces into their designs; City officials can support community builders; Employers can create connected cultures in the workplace.

Stretch your social muscles

Depending on your life stage and your particular circumstances — recently moving to a new city and needing to build community in your new home, or working a remote job and wanting more face-to-face interaction, for example — you may need to stretch your social muscles to expand your social network. But how? Research shows that friendships grow from regular contact and shared experiences: the more time you spend with someone, the closer you become. For example, one study tracked students’ social networks for a year and a half as they transitioned from high school to college, and found that new friendships faded unless they had regular communication and did activities together. Likewise, another study revealed that for an adult who recently moved to a new city, it takes at least 50 hours to turn a new acquaintance into a friend; The more time together, the closer the friendship becomes.

Deepening existing relationships

Stretching is about increasing the amount of connection in your life; Toning is about improving the quality of communication. Doing so requires curiosity and vulnerability. In a meta-analysis, researchers concluded that people like you more when you trust them, and you like people you trust more. Choose the right context: Revealing personal information is viewed favorably by people you already know and new acquaintances in one-on-one conversations, but not necessarily by strangers in public. Look for depth rather than breadth: Sharing something intimate leads to greater liking than sharing too much information. A survey of more than 4,600 people in the United States, India, and Japan showed that people across cultures found interactions more meaningful when they went beyond small talk to provide value through emotional connection, knowledge sharing, or practical help.