Having a circle of friends is a blessing. Here to see one of the many benefits of having good friendship.

Stress management is, in fact, one of the great gifts of friendship. One past study found that subjects with fewest friendship connections were those most likely to be dealing with depression, anxiety and heart disease. Stress is known to encourage a host of maladies, from the common cold to the arterial inflammation that contributes to cardiovascular disease.

An 2-year study that looked at 500 women with suspected coronary artery disease. Those with a strong support system were not only more likely to be alive after 2 years, but their rates of hypertension and diabetes were lower, and they were less likely to have an excess of abdominal fat. Similar positive findings do apply to the other gender and in younger generations.

Having friends is surely a healthy habit, besides the emotional support during difficult times, positive peer pressure encouraging the adaptation of healthy lifestyle practices, such as joining a basketball tournament in a team or a community volunteering program together - as well as the stress-reduction benefits that derive from feeling connected to other people.

 

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