Researchers Say Healthy Friendship Is A Recipe For Young And Long-lived Awets

Friendship illustration (Photo: Freepik/Pressphoto)

JAKARTA - Having a group of friends who are compact can make life much more colorful. They are there when we are at the lowest point, and celebrate when we are at the peak of happiness.

However, the latest research shows that the benefits of having good friends are not only for mental health, but can also have a direct impact on longevity and body health.

That is the main conclusion of a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity-Health. The study found a strong relationship between social support throughout life and a younger biological age. In other words, establishing and maintaining friendship can help slow the aging process down to the cellular level.

Reporting from the Women's Health page, the researchers analyzed data from more than 2,100 adults who participated in the Midlife in the United States study.

They see how the participants' social relationships evolve over time, then compare them with signs of biological aging.

There are four aspects of social support that are the focus of this research.

1. Warmth and support from parents as a child

2. Involvement and a sense of connectivity with the community or residential environment

3. Participation in religious activities or based on trust

4. Continuous support from friends and family

The results are quite surprising. Those with stronger social support experience slower epigenetic aging, meaning their genes age at lower speeds. In addition, levels of interleukin-6 proteins associated with inflammation are also lower in this group.

In conclusion, the researchers said these findings add evidence that social resources play a role in the physiological path that forms the aging and health processes.

"This study shows that social support from friends and family can slow down the aging process at the molecular level," said Dr. Anthony Ong, lead author of the study and professor of psychology at Cornell University.

Dr. Hillary Total, a clinical psychologist from the Center for Anxiety & Women's Emotional Wellness, also added that healthy friendships are closely related to overall welfare.

"When a person has support, both emotionally and in other forms. Their quality of life tends to be higher," he explained.

"In terms of mental and physical health, it is not surprising that people with strong social circles live longer," he added.

According to Ong, the answer lies in the consistency of social support from time to time.

"Support that has continued throughout life reflects continued access to social resources in various aspects of life," he said.

He explained that the warmth of parents in childhood to involvement in mature communities will be interconnected and strengthen over time, then embedded in physiological pathways that form health.

jam juga menambahkan, hubungan jangka panjang biasanya lebih dalam dan penuh kepercayaan.

"Although we can always build new friendships, friends we have known for a long time often provide a sense of security and reliability," he said.

However, he emphasized that it would not matter if our friendship was new. The most important thing is the sense of transportation itself.

"Long-term friendship is just a part of the puzzle in creating a better quality of life." concludedENS.