Sep 20

Sep 20 Social Wellnes

Importance of Social Wellness

SOCIAL WELLNESS DIMENSION

The Social Wellness Dimension focuses on our ability to interact and relate to others. It is influenced by the degree to which we can establish and maintain positive relationships and contribute to our schools, community, and environment.

Moving to a new city, changes in family dynamics, health, spouses, children, and career responsibility can wreck havoc on making social connections a priority. Couple that with the fact that it is more difficult to make friends as we age, maintaining friendships and social connections can be difficult.

I love being alone and kicking it in my yoga pants with a cup of coffee and a good book. This alone time is important for me to recalibrate and connect with myself. Although alone time is essential for well being, too much alone time sans social connections is not good either. It’s easier for me to be alone especially with a chronic illness but it is necessary to form social connections with others. Thankfully, I have a social husband who helps me in this regard! I am also grateful to have had good parents who helped me stay connected and less alone.

Whether you have a chronic illness or not, social connections and friendships are important but can be difficult to maintain. When you don’t work at friendships and a social life, it can negatively impact your health. Social connections and friendships take effort.

Social Wellness Effect on Health:

Social connections provide pleasure and dozens of studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer (Harvard, 2010).

· Sense of belonging

· Increased sense of self worth

· Feelings of security (Mayo, 2015)

· Relieve harmful levels of stress, which can adversely affect coronary arteries, gut function, insulin regulation, and the immune system (Harvard, 2010).

Studies indicate that “social capital” is one of the biggest predictors for health, happiness, and longevity. A lack of social ties is associated with depression and later-life cognitive decline, as well as with increased mortality. Some studies focus on short-term health benefits such as reduced incidence of colds and flu. Other research looks at longevity, alleging that the number of friends correlates with longer life. Still other studies have found that people have better survival rates for diseases when they have social support (Harvard, 2015).

Ways to Improve Social Wellness

Building a supportive community and maintaining healthy connections with your family, co-workers, and friends is important to your life and your health. It is vital to identify the ways in which you need support, and to communicate them effectively to those around you.

· Find opportunities to learn about and interact with people of difference ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles.

· Talk to people. Introduce yourself, ask questions, tell stories, be interested.

· Join an online community.

· Befriend someone at work.

· Volunteer in the community.

· Focus on building family connections that are close to home.

· Visit family or friends out of town.

· Join a gym or sports league

· Join social clubs or activities that are of interest to you (ie: book club, wine club, etc.)

· Go to church.

· Attend workshops/courses.

· Say yes to invitations to parties!

· Set a goal to leave the house at least once per week for a social activity (even just dinner or a movie!).

· Take a vacation with friends and family.

· Make a goal to have 2-3 close friends and really cultivate those friendships.

Personally, I feel so much more balanced, vibrant, and happy when I spend time with friends, my family, and my husband. We need those connections to feel alive, needed, and loved. Follow the steps above to improve your social wellness.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/