There are roughly eleventy-billion different programs, products, and advice columns meant to help you live longer.
Approximately the same amount of money is spent on those programs, products, and things mentioned in advice columns via handy affiliate links. It's a thriving market, for good or ill.
If you want to live longer, then maybe you don't need to spend a fortune on whatever dubious trend Goop is promoting lately.
An overview published by Harvard Health explains that strong social connections have been shown to both increase overall health and improve longevity.
Pretty cool, right? Since friendship requires no specific products or regimen, it's one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve one's health.
That number was the result of a meta-analysis of 148 different studies that dealt with social relationships and mortality.
This was regardless of age, gender, cause of death, or other risk factors.
So many pro-socializing articles and columns still seem to subscribe to the "Extrovert Ideal" and spend a lot of their word count promoting ideas that don't work for people like me.
There have been some studies suggesting that loneliness could even increase the risk of dementia. And that loneliness was felt regardless of the person's marital status or the size of their support network.
Connection means having a deeper trust or companionship with a person or group.
Luckily, it's easy to maintain those connections. Something as simple as regular coffee dates or doing activities together can keep those bonds strong.
The important part is that we've been getting together and connecting over our mutual interests for three years now, which is a long time for many book clubs.
So whether it's a club, a sports team, a girls' trip to an exotic locale, or just movie night in pjs, hang out with your friends. It could help you live longer.
