A little socialising goes a long way in promoting longevity

Considering all the research around socialising and longevity, some introverts can be forgiven for feeling doomed.

- Dana G. Smith

People who have strong relationships live longer, and “super-agers” - older adults who have the memory abilities of someone 20 years younger - tend to be especially outgoing. On the flip side, chronic loneliness raises the risk for cognitive decline and early death.

But experts say it does not take as much socialising to reap those longevity benefits as one might think, namely a few close ties and some everyday activities that facilitate contact with the wider world. It is less about the sheer number of connections you have, and more about what those connections do for you.

In other words, introverts do not need to be the life of the party to have a long and healthy life.

People’s relationships contribute to health and longevity in a few critical ways. They provide emotional support, cognitive stimulation, care during times of crisis and motivation to have healthier habits.

If your current relationships check those four boxes, you are probably in pretty good shape. But if you are missing one or two, it may be time to reevaluate your social network.

Not everybody needs the same amount of social activity, said Dr Ashwin Kotwal, an associate professor of medicine specialising in geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. “But getting some social activity is important,” he added.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT