Does the Secret to Longevity Live in Your Social Calendar?
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Does the Secret to Longevity Live in Your Social Calendar?
Being a social butterfly is proving once again to be a key to living a long and healthy life. Over the past year we’ve seen studies that link the amount of social activity to memory function, and now socializing has been found to help seniors retain motor skills.
The report, published in the June 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that a person with a lower-than-average social activity score was the equivalent of a person 5 years older.
Over the course of almost five years, researchers collected data on 906 healthy older adults who took part in the Rush Memory and Aging Project. Scientists measured various motor functions, such as the ability to stand on one leg and the rate of tapping their index finger. They were also asked about their social activities like attending religious services and visiting friends. The consensus: Social butterflies stand a better chance than wallflowers to live a healthy life as they age.
If you’re caring for an aging loved one or if you’re entering your “golden years” yourself, remember that it’s not enough just to eat right and exercise. Interacting with others in a meaningful way has benefits that science is just starting to uncover.
