With the continuous growth of the elderly population
People gradually began to pay attention to the topic of health and longevity of the elderly.
There are many factors that affect life span.
But there is one thing you may not have expected-social activity.
Do you like socializing?
Some studies have pointed out that
Frequent social interaction may prolong the life span of the elderly.
Is this statement true?
What social activities contribute to longevity?
What are the benefits of frequent social activities?
How to reduce social troubles?
Hurry up and get to know it with the small circle!
Health science experts
He Sen
west china hospital,sichuan university
Deputy chief physician of cardiology department
Why do you live longer by socializing?

Recently, a study of more than 28,000 Chinese people in west china hospital shows that frequent social interaction may prolong the life span of the elderly.
On March 6, 2023, the team of west china hospital He Sen and Wang Ziqiong published in the authoritative journal Epidemiology and Community Health (Journal of
Epidemiology & Community
Health) reveals that active participation in social activities is related to the overall survival of the elderly in China, especially almost daily participation in social activities is more conducive to long-term survival.
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the frequency of social activities and the overall survival rate in a relatively large cohort of elderly people in China, and to analyze the medium and long-term impact of social activities on the overall survival rate. It is found that frequent participation in social activities is related to prolonging the overall survival time. From baseline to five-year follow-up, the more frequent social activities, the longer the survival time. However, after 5 years of follow-up, there is a threshold effect between the frequency of social activities and the total survival time, and only participating in social activities almost every day can significantly prolong the total survival time.
In order to prolong the long-term overall survival, it is strongly recommended that the elderly participate in daily social activities.
What social activities contribute to longevity?
First, take the initiative to say hello and smile
Introduce yourself to a new neighbor, or start a conversation while waiting in line at the store. In the course of your conversation, you may find common interests that can initiate new friendship.
If you are shy, you may find that a simple smile will soon expand your social horizons. When you smile, you will give others a friendly and approachable impression, and others may stand up and start a conversation with you.
Second, join interest groups or universities for the aged.
With the attitude of "never too old to learn", many elderly people go to universities for the elderly or join interest groups, learning boxing, music, dance, photography, painting, calligraphy and English … Through rich courses and group entertainment activities, they not only add color to their old age life, but also transmit positive energy to the surroundings.

Third, volunteer for public welfare activities on a regular basis
You can take the initiative to participate in some community affairs and join the team of community volunteers, such as being a propagandist of civilized new style, a supervisor of sanitary environment, and a patrolman with stable community security. In this way, you can not only make yourself "body of work", but also gain a sense of being respected and needed, so as to live a more interesting and colorful life.
Fourth, take the initiative to contact old friends
Old people retire at home and have plenty of time to keep in touch with old friends and colleagues. For the old friends who worked together in the past, you can take the initiative to contact and talk about the old and the new.
Establish new contacts. At the same time, it is suggested that the elderly often make phone calls to catch up with the past, and often organize activities to go out fishing and traveling together, so as to reduce loneliness and enhance the fun of life, and at the same time, deepen their feelings, killing two birds with one stone.
5. Use your own experience to be an amateur tour guide.
If the elderly like to travel and have a certain understanding of local history and culture, then becoming a tour guide may be a good choice. Tour guides can provide tourists with interesting travel experiences and make new friends during their travels.
Sixth, socialize with the help of the Internet
Nowadays, many elderly people have begun to use social networks, shoot short videos, etc., record and share their lives, keep in touch with relatives and friends, and integrate into the tide of the digital age.
It should be noted that many elderly people lack the necessary digital participation ability, and their network information discrimination is poor, so they are easily deceived. In many places, communities, nursing homes and some volunteer organizations have also taken action. Apart from teaching the elderly to use the Internet to contact their relatives or engage in leisure and entertainment, they have also taught the experience of "avoiding pits" to help the elderly improve their network literacy and identify various "routines" so as to "surf" safely online.
What are the benefits of socializing regularly?
First, contribute to longevity
Socialization protects us from loneliness and isolation, which is associated with chronic diseases and premature death.
Second, it helps to decompress.
Man is an emotional animal. When the person you trust listens to you, you can feel that your body becomes calm, your blood pressure can return to the baseline level, and your stress hormone level will drop, which makes us break away from the fight-or-flight mode. As we all know, if we are under pressure all the time, this stress pattern will gradually destroy our bodies.
Third, it helps to improve immunity
Friendship is a "good medicine" to enhance immunity. Good social relations help to reduce the influence of "stress hormones" (norepinephrine, epinephrine and other chemicals released by the adrenal gland when people are nervous) on immune cell function.
Fourth, help reduce the risk of heart disease.
In 2022, the research team of the University of California, San Diego found that lack of social interaction would increase the risk of heart attack by 29% and stroke by 32%.
Five, help reduce the risk of diabetes.
A research team from Western University of Applied Sciences in Norway found that loneliness increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers implemented a six-month social strengthening program in an elderly apartment, and found that increasing social interaction can reduce saccharification and prevent diabetes.
Sixth, help reduce the risk of depression.
A study published in American Psychiatry systematically examines various risk factors related to depression, including social interaction, sleep, diet, exercise and more than 100 fields. The results show that social interaction has the most significant effect in preventing depression.
Seven, help reduce the risk of dementia.
Neurologists in university of alberta pointed out that people over 55 should participate in social activities and novel cognitive activities in order to keep good memories.
Cognitive decline is a neurodegenerative disease, which is also one of the initial symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The intervention of memory decline is very important to prevent or delay these diseases.
For people aged 55-75, good memory is related to lower heart rate, more entertainment and social activities. Older people over 75 have better memory, faster pace and less depressive symptoms.
Those with poor memory often seldom engage in new cognitive activities, with higher heart rate, less self-entertainment activities, slower gait and less social activities.
Researchers say that these changeable risks and protective factors can be transformed into potential intervention targets to prevent memory loss and even dementia.
How to reduce social troubles?
The more social activities there are, the more troubles there may be. If you also have a lot of troubles in interpersonal communication,
I don’t know how to socialize more freely, I don’t know how to be more happy, I don’t know how to deal with intimate relationships … Let’s try these 9 methods.
Help you reduce the internal friction and pain caused by interpersonal relationships and gain a happier social experience.
First, let go of ineffective social interaction
The purpose of socializing is to make your body and mind healthier, and life is short. You should learn to streamline your circle of friends and stay away from the ineffective socialization that consumes you. Spend more time with your family, and you will have a happy family. Spend more time with your bosom friends, and you will have a strong and stable friendship.
Second, let go of course
No matter how good a friend is, don’t ignore each other’s efforts and help. A natural attitude will only make you lose a person who is willing to help you sincerely and a friend who treats you sincerely. The feelings between people are all precipitated when you come and I go. The other person is good to you because he cherishes the feelings between them.
Third, let go of stereotypes
The first step to have a good social life is to break the stereotype, face others with an inclusive and open mind, and observe a person from all directions and angles. Let go of stereotypes,
Only by not labeling others easily can you have a "good popularity".
Fourth, let go of excessive care
In our life, we often meet such people who keep an eye on other people’s mistakes and are always ready to "turn over old scores". Days pass quickly, and if my heart is filled with these unpleasant trifles,
Then where is the space to carry happy hours? Learn not to care too much, and letting others go is also letting yourself go.
Fifth, let go of jealousy and comparison
Jealousy and comparison tend to lose themselves and breed more anxiety. It is better to focus on yourself than envy others; Instead of suffering from blind comparison, it is better to take a long view and improve yourself.
Sixth, let go of sensitive inferiority complex
In life, those who are prone to anxiety are often very sensitive. They always think too much about everything. They can’t let go of the past and entangle the present, and often fall into internal friction. Learn to face up to your own value, reduce self-doubt and get rid of inferiority, so that you can communicate with others gracefully. Only in this way can we relax in interpersonal communication.
Seven, let go of high expectations
When being a partner, family member or child, you don’t meet the "high standard" in your heart, complaining and blaming.
Bad emotions such as anger will come to mind and make communication stressful. In fact, the secret of getting along comfortably between people is to keep a normal heart.
Eight, let go of complaining.
Complaining will not only drag yourself down, but also spread negative emotions to others. Don’t complain about everything, learn to change your mind, replace blame with introspection, and replace complaint with hard work, so that life can be better.
Nine, let go of excessive dependence
Instead of seeking external dependence, it is better to seek our own strength at home. Many people can only accompany you on this journey of life. Quit excessive dependence, be independent and improve yourself, so that you can have the confidence not to be afraid of losing.

catalogs:115814; contentid:11344227; publishdate:2023-05-12; Author: Huang Tongxin; file:1683853553818-b8cf3d4a-a8a1-45d3-8fc9-914c81c8ffab; source:29; From:CCTV life circle; timestamp:2023-05-12
09:05:45;