Hey you!
Welcome back to Bestie today we’re gonna give props to your girl squad, your best buds,
the important women in your life who are always there for you.
No, not just your mom, today we’re talking about the real health benefits your pals provide,
how loneliness can be lethal, and all the other benefits a few close buds can have on
your life.
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It all starts with Oxytocin, that wonderful hormone that is affectionately known as the
cuddle hormone.
We all have it, and it’s something that helps us create those close friendships, like
those you have with your Bestie!
But do women need their pals, more than men?
Studies say yeah!
It’s no secret that life is super stressful, and having a few close friends around can
really help relieve the pressure of the outside world, make us feel nurtured and let us be
our true selves without worrying about judgement.
In times of stress women don’t just react with fight or flight, turns out we also release
this ever important hormone oxytocin.
This leads us to believe that in times of trouble, women need their pals more than ever.
Specifically with women, friendship can protect not only your feelings, but also can help
lower your blood pressure, boost your immunity and speed up the healing process.
Just think, whenever something happens that makes you upset, what do you do, call your
mom?
You’re best gal pal?
You’re inclined to react that way because women just deal with stress through their
social connections more than men do.
It’s common to feel like your friends are you chosen family, especially when there’s
no kids or partner in the picture.
Not to mention loneliness can cause a lot of problems in someone’s life, no matter
what their age.
At some point in your life you’ve probably felt alone.
It’s not a nice feeling and hopefully it didn’t last too long.
Close friends are thought to be the cure to loneliness, and the idea of being alone itself
can really cause you harm mentally and physically.
Even if you do have family, or some work buddies you know well, they don’t fill that void
the same way close friends do.
Studies show that if your regular state of mind is one that is mostly lonely, that’s
where the damage sets in and it’s been said that it can be worse for your health than
smoking.
It puts unnecessary stress on your immune and cardiovascular systems, can decrease your
overall well being and is considered a disease in certain circumstances.
Loneliness doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman, anyone that says they’re lonely
a lot tend to die earlier, get sick more often and don’t adapt to changes in life easily
without friends they can rely on.
We get it, it’s hard not to go on your phone when you’re alone at a local coffee shop
and opening up to new people?!
Forget it.
That’s nothing but a recipe for awkwardness.
Life is busy, but making time for friends is proving to be more and more important.
It is true, making new friends can be awkward, there will be a lot of moments when you’re
trying to make a new friend that you’ll probably replay over and over in your head
thinking you should’ve said that thing differently.
Not to mention how exhausting it can be to make plans and stick to them, but the benefits
really do show up and the science is there to prove it, especially for the ladies out
there.
So back to that hormone called oxytocin we were talking about earlier...in women, levels
of this hormone will surge when a woman has a baby, and this creates bonding with your
newborn while nursing and spending time with them, but it also shoots up when women are
stressed out, and this means we actively seek the comfort of our friends.
In women, when we rally around our friends, whether it’s just out for a fun night, a
chill hang or to vent about problems, there’s a calming and warming effect that happens,
that just isn’t present in men.
When oxytocin levels are high women can deal with the pressures of stress much better and
those stressful moments are likely to do less damage like increasing the risk of heart disease
and metabolic issues and might be more protected from the effects of dementia.
Besides all those things making a point to hang out with your friends can really just
help balance your life.
Women tend to talk about their feelings a lot more than their male buddies, and women
don’t always try to solve the problem for you, rather be a sounding board for your troubles,
offer some advice or guidance and then allow you to figure out your own solution.
Not to mention our friends can help us in many aspects of our lives, not just everyday
socializing but helping to boost your confidence!
When you collaborate with your friends amazing things can happen.
If they’re in the same field as you, it’s nice to be able to talk about things that
can help you progress, they can help inspire you and cheer you on when it comes to new
opportunities you might be nervous about pursuing.
Not to mention if you have some close buddies in the boardroom, you’re likely to get more
chances to be heard.
It’s a common trend that women don’t get as much opportunity as men to talk about their
ideas during meetings, and having a friend that will give you the credit you deserve
and can direct the conversation towards your successes can be a real win.
So if there’s someone who you think you could be friends with at work, it might be
worth a few awkward moments in the beginning to form a long lasting friendship.
Let’s say you don’t have a huge friend circle, let’s say you only have a handful
of people you can truly call your friends.
That’s perfectly normal, just a few close friends can be more than enough.
What matters is that you make an effort when it comes to maintaining friendships and being
open to finding new ones.
So, let’s say you want to make more friends...how do you go about doing that?
Well, a lot of it probably involves you making the first move, which can be tricky.
If there’s someone who you’re an acquaintance with and you wanna become closer, try asking
them for coffee, or out for a drink.
Again, there’s probably gonna be an awkward moment or two, but that’s just part of the
process and the reward of a possible new friend is totally worth it.
You can also try joining a new class like a fitness club, or something more artistic
like jewelry making or painting.
You want to put yourself in a situation where you’re likely to meet new people, and who
knows maybe you’ll spark a new friendship sooner than you know it!
What about friends that you don’t talk to anymore...or haven’t spoken to in a while.
Well, if you want to reconnect, we say go for it.
Sometimes friends drift apart because they’re just at different points in their lives.
Maybe your friend had a baby and had to take time they needed to raise their child, or
maybe you had to move and are now back in a city you once lived in.
All of these scenarios (and others) are typical and if you find yourself wanting to connect
with an old friend, there’s no harm in trying.
The best part about having good friends, is being a good friend in return.
When you best gal pal calls you up to talk about that horrible date they just went on,
you being there for them in their time of need will boost your energy levels too.
Giving to others makes us happy, instills in us a feeling of gratitude for the good
people we have in our lives, and can make us feel healthier than ever.
Making the choice to invest our time in good people and healthy relationships will only
give you greater gains.
Friendships only get better with age, and those who are truly important in your life
will always make time for you in return.
**Turns to viewer** Have I told you how happy I am that we’re friends?
Cheers to you.
Now get out there and make some plans with your other Besties.
What is your favourite thing to do with your best friend?
Have you reconnected with an old friend recently?
Let us know in the comments section below.