NOT GOING OUT

Social ties help you live longer. What does that mean for introverts?

- DANA G. SMITH

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

People who have strong relationships generally live longer, and the unicorns known as “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 even early death.

But experts say it doesn’t 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’s less about the sheer number of connections you have, and more about what those connections do for you.

In other words, introverts don’t need to be the life of the party to have a long and healthy life.

Our 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're probably in pretty good shape. But if you're 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.”

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT