Social connection can be tricky, especially in the modern world, where isolation is all too common. However, social connection is a critical aspect of aging.
Though many do not realize it, it’s vital to surround yourself with family and friends regularly. But there’s more to social connection than having people to converse with during your day.
It’s critical to remain socially connected as you age. Read on to learn about a few benefits of social connectivity, from lower rates of depression to the prevention of Alzheimer’s. We’ll discuss the many ways staying connected with others will make aging a much easier process. Whether physically or mentally, social encounters while aging are an excellent idea.
Lower Rates of Depression
The ability to stay connected with friends and family leads to lower rates of depression. Remaining in isolation tends to push someone into their minds, which can make them feel alone and sad. Speaking with others will keep your mind off isolation and ensure you always have someone to turn to through the ups and downs of life.
Typically, sedentary activities like watching television and napping during the day lead to depression, and that feeling will only grow as you get older and find yourself socially isolated. Ensure you remain in contact with friends and family to keep your spirits high and to prepare yourself for aging, especially if you know you’re prone to various forms of depression.
Are you feeling lonely during the holiday season? Check out our article about dealing with loneliness to help you feel connected during the difficult times of the year.
Overall Excellent Health
Remaining socially connected will also make your health much better than it would without. Although the isolation itself doesn’t reduce your health, the habits that tend to come with it could harm your body. Those who keep themselves isolated are more likely to fall victim to these habits as they age.
A few factors that could lead to decreased health as a result of isolation include the following:
- Cognitive decline
- Weight gain, leading to cardiovascular disease
- Decline in mobility and daily function
You will develop poor habits for your body if you remain by yourself as you have no one to hold you accountable.
For your long-term health, remaining socially connected is an excellent idea. You’re more likely to make healthy decisions and hold onto functions you wouldn’t otherwise have if you kept yourself away from others. It’s much easier to hold to healthy habits if you’re surrounded by a solid social group.
Reduced Anxiety
Not only will social connection improve your depression, but it will also improve your anxiety. Typically, those who have more interactions with other people won’t get as wrapped up in their anxious thoughts. You won’t feel like you have to battle anything alone and will be equipped to handle the challenges ahead.
The older you become, the more valuable your stable and supportive relationships will be. Without other people in your life, it’s easy to get wrapped up in trouble. Depending on friends and family in your times of woe will make it easier to get through aging.
Prevention of Disease
Although it might seem like a surprise, remaining socially connected is linked to the prevention of disease. Those with close-knit social groups are less likely to eat more food than necessary, binge on television, remain physically inactive, and smoke cigarettes. The lonelier you are, the easier to fall into poor habits as mobility drops.
All these symptoms can lead to various forms of cancer, heart disease, depression, anxiety, and other struggles. When you talk to people regularly, you will keep yourself distracted from your mind and have people to keep you motivated and ready to keep moving and eating well, even as you age. Social connectivity is a valuable asset as you get older.
Better Cognitive Function
It’s critical to train your brain as you get older. Social connectivity is an excellent way to keep certain portions of your brain lit up, keeping it strong as you get into your later years. In fact, strong social interactions are proven to benefit cognitive function and guard your memory as time continues.
Understanding you have a group of people by your side as you age will reduce anxieties, which then will protect your brain. You will engage attention and memory and connect vital neural pathways that would otherwise decay.
We discussed that lower social interactions can lead to depression, which also has a terrible impact on your mind and could lead to cognitive decline. Speaking to others is critical.
Extended Longevity
Some studies show that remaining socially connected could lead to a longer lifespan. For those aging, it’s encouraging to know what you can do to add more years to your life. Some studies show remaining socially active could be a helpful tool.
In particular, the combination of social activity and remaining healthy through proper eating and moving your body has a better impact on your body. Also, surrounding yourself with family and friends will provide a group of people who will encourage you to continue in these areas for your benefit.
Lower Risk of Obesity
Remaining socially active is shown to lead to a much lower risk of obesity. When you have a close-knit group of family and friends, you are more likely to get out of your home or apartment and more likely to be aware of your body.
Also, obesity tends to be a socially-contagious thing. Those around each other will influence what each of them eats, how often they move, and other factors. If you surround yourself with aging peers committed to eating well and moving their bodies, you are more likely to remain in excellent shape and refrain from obesity.
Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s impacts millions of people every year, and it’s most prominent among those in their older years. Although there isn’t much information yet about how to stop or slow the disease, remaining social is thought to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease when you age.
Unfortunately, there isn’t too much information or study performed yet on Alzheimer’s Disease. However, preliminary studies notice a positive correlation with improved social interactions is an excellent place to start as you get older.
Better Self-Esteem
Remaining socially connected will improve your self-esteem as you age, which becomes tricky for many to hold onto as they grow older. Socializing is shown to make you feel less depressed and anxious, this helps you feel more confident to take on things you otherwise wouldn’t with an impacted mental health.
Keeping yourself surrounded by friends and family will ensure you always have someone to lean back on when times get tough. With something to lean against in your trials, you won’t feel as afraid to reach out when you run into the natural struggles that come with aging.
Feeling of Belonging
Finally, remaining socially connected offers an overall feeling of belonging. The more you speak with people, the more you feel like you’re part of a group. Humans need to feel like they are part of an organized gathering, and socialization will allow you to do that easily.
A few places to go for better social connection include the following:
- Church
- Art classes
- Local volunteer opportunities
- Community gardens
- Book clubs
- Fitness clubs
Anywhere where a group of people come together to do things, it’s possible to make friends.
Although it might seem easy to be isolated, it’s critical to your aging body to remain socially connected. Consider something you love, like walking, and find a group of people who enjoy doing it too to gather a sense of belonging and a valuable community to remain by your side.
Continuation of Learning
The older you get, the easier it is to feel like you have done everything there is to do on the planet. That’s why social connectivity is critical. The more people you talk to, the more new things you will be exposed to. Everyone comes from different walks of life, and thus, there is an opportunity to learn new and exciting things from them.
You can learn things like:
- Communication with different types of people
- Various forms of music, food, and more
- Different and exciting hobbies
- New ways to cook and work out (like yoga!)
There are tons of learning opportunities as you age. Plus, remaining social will put people in your life who will push you to chase new things and continue on, even as you age. It’s good to surround yourself with people rather than isolating yourself.
Final Thoughts
Social connectivity is critical for the aging process. Benefits include reduced anxiety, better cognitive function, extended longevity, lower risk of obesity, prevention of Alzheimer’s, a feeling of belonging, and more. The less you isolate yourself, the better you will fare.
If you want to know how to stay connected with friends and family, there are many actions you can take. Join a club, perform video calls or regular meetups with family and friends, say yes to more activities than usual, and more. Keep your eyes peeled and participate in anything to avoid isolating yourself. There is always something to enjoy.
Thinking of using the internet to stay in contact with friends and family? Take a look at our article, 10 Online Security Tips for Seniors to keep you safe while you use the world wide web!
