Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life.
Being
sociable
looks
like
a
good
way
to
add
years
to
your
life
.
Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship.
Relationships
with
family
,
friends
,
neighbours
,
even
pets
,
will
all
do
the
trick
,
but
the
biggest
longevity
boost
seems
to
come
from
marriage
or
an
equivalent
relationship
.
The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Fair, who wrote that widows and widowers were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers.
The
effect
was
first
noted
in
1858
by
William
Fair
,
who
wrote
that
widows
and
widowers
were
at
a
much
higher
risk
of
dying
than
their
married
peers
.
Studies since then suggest that marriage could and as much as seven years to a man's life and two to a woman's.
Studies
since
then
suggest
that
marriage
could
and
as
much
as
seven
years
to
a
man
's
life
and
two
to
a
woman
's
.
The effect holds for all rouses of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.
The
effect
holds
for
all
rouses
of
death
,
whether
illness
,
accident
or
self-harm
.
Even if the odds are stacked against you, marriage can more than compensate.
Even
if
the
odds
are
stacked
against
you
,
marriage
can
more
than
compensate
.
Linda Waite from the University of Chicago has found that.
Linda
Waite
from
the
University
of
Chicago
has
found
that
.
I married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart.
I
married
older
man
with
heart
disease
can
expect
to
live
nearly
four
years
longer
than
an
unmarried
man
with
a
healthy
heart
.
Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn't smoke.
Likewise
,
a
married
man
who
smokes
more
than
a
pack
a
day
is
likely
to
live
as
long
as
a
divorced
man
who
does
n't
smoke
.
There's a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse's death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems.
There
's
a
flip
side
,
however
,
as
partners
are
more
likely
to
become
ill
or
die
in
the
couple
of
years
following
their
spouse
's
death
,
and
caring
for
a
spouse
with
mental
disorder
can
leave
you
with
some
of
the
same
severe
problems
.
Even so, the odds favour marriage.
Even
so
,
the
odds
favour
marriage
.
In a 30 - year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.
In
a
30
-
year
study
of
more
than
10,000
people
,
Nicholas
Christakis
of
Harvard
Medical
School
describes
how
all
kinds
of
social
networks
have
similar
effects
.
So how does it work?
So
how
does
it
work
?
The effects are complex, affected by socio - economic factors, health - service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms.
The
effects
are
complex
,
affected
by
socio
-
economic
factors
,
health
-
service
provision
,
emotional
support
and
other
more
physiological
mechanisms
.
For example, social contact can boost development of die brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression?
For
example
,
social
contact
can
boost
development
of
die
brain
and
immune
system
,
leading
to
better
health
and
less
chance
of
depression
?
later in life.
later
in
life
.
People in supportive relationships may handle stress better.
People
in
supportive
relationships
may
handle
stress
better
.
Then there are the psychological 9 benefits of a supportive partner.
Then
there
are
the
psychological
9
benefits
of
a
supportive
partner
.
A life partner, children and good friends arc all recommended if you aim to live to 100.
A
life
partner
,
children
and
good
friends
arc
all
recommended
if
you
aim
to
live
to
100
.
The ultimate social network is still being mapped out, hut Christakis says: "People are interconnected, so their health
The
ultimate
social
network
is
still
being
mapped
out
,
hut
Christakis
says
:
``
People
are
interconnected
,
so
their
health
is interconnected.
is
interconnected
.
Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Fair, who wrote that widows and widowers were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could and as much as seven years to a man's life and two to a woman's. The effect holds for all rouses of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.  Even if the odds are stacked against you, marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite from the University of Chicago has found that. I married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn't smoke. There's a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse's death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems.  Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30 - year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.  So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio - economic factors, health - service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms. For example, social contact can boost development of die brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression? later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological 9 benefits of a supportive partner.  A life partner, children and good friends arc all recommended if you aim to live to 100. The ultimate social network is still being mapped out, hut Christakis says: "People are interconnected, so their health  is interconnected.