Friendships- Good for Your Heart and Your Brain?

I recently wrote an article about the benefits of social interaction, specifically outlining what research says about how friendships and the act of socializing and interacting with others impacts our risk of developing dementia. Here's the article: Does Social Interaction Prevent Dementia? As I reviewed data for that article, I found some interesting research that was published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. The short version of the research is that after 15 years of studying more than 2000 participants' cognitive status and administering socialization questionnaires, researchers determined that social interactions reduced the risk of dementia. But, more significantly, they found that the quality of these social relationships- not the quantity of them- was the key factor in the reduction of the risk for dementia. Thus, not only should you spend time with others, but it can make a difference- even years from now- with whom you spend time with and how that time is being spent. So, consider this a gentle nudge to prioritize in the busyness of life and be intentional about developing strong friendships with others. Those kinds of relationships require time and energy, but the benefits are significant, both for the present- in terms of quality of life- and for the future- in a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Related Reading How to Meet New Friends - Friendless? About.com's friendship expert provides some suggestions of where to start...
Source: About Alzheimers Disease - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news