Research says that bonding with your friends twice a week is good for your health

• A study says that hanging out with your friends at least twice a week can help boost your health.

With the sudden growth of the world’s technological advancement, people in this modern age have access to almost everything they need at the tips of their fingers.

This includes talking and connecting with friends through social networking websites. It’s convenient as you don’t need to schedule and spend money just to hang out and share conversations.

But a study has found that going out of your home and meeting with your friends at least twice a week is actually good for your health.

Beer company Guinness partnered with well-known psychologist Robin Dunbar and social commentator Danny Wallace in doing a social experiment between a group of male friends.

They found that meeting friends twice every week has actual health benefits like individuals recover from illnesses faster, have a stronger immune system, lowered the level of anxiety, and increased the feeling of generosity. These overall gives a person a sense of lighter and better feeling.

“The figure of twice a week comes from findings that this is the amount of time that you typically spend with your closest friends and family,” Dunbar said in an interview.

How about women? “Research shows that women, [possibly] more than men, need to maintain friendship connections. It increases serotonin and oxytocin, the bonding hormone,” explained Alisa Ruby Bash.

Dunbar agreed and said, “People with larger networks suffer less illness, recover quicker from surgery, and are less likely to die.”

Aside from physical benefits, these friendships can also increase one’s sense of belonging and purpose, boost happiness and reduce stress, improve self-confidence and self-worth, help cope with personal traumas, and encourage a healthier lifestyle.