Attention, ladies! Here’s a good excuse to get out of the house and hang out with friends! A recent study showed that women should go out with their girlfriends at least twice a week to improve their health.
Researchers from no less than the University of Oxford conducted a study on women’s well-being. According to the results of their study, feeling free to hang out with their girlfriends helps a woman achieve happiness in her life. In turn, this improves her overall health and mental well-being.
Renowned psychologist Robin Dunbar, who heads the study, concluded that women who enjoyed going out with their friends at least twice a week to simply “do things” had improved health and well-being than those who stayed at home the entire time.
By “do things”, the study showed that this could mean anything from gossiping, talking about their rivals (a preferred activity), laughing together, and simply socializing.
Thanks to these “things”, the women who get to enjoy with their friends twice a week have decreased anxiety levels, stronger immune systems, faster recovery from illness, and increased generosity levels.
According to Creative Healthy Family, with laughter considered as the best medicine, more endorphins are released when the group is smaller than five people. Thus, the recommended circle of close girlfriends is set at a maximum of four friends, for better happiness and well-being from the necessary endorphins.
Sadly, most women don’t get to enjoy that kind of relaxation with friends. In fact, only 2 out of 5 women can get out and hang out friends once a week. It is rare for them to have time to go out twice a week!
An UCLA study on friendship among women concluded that during times of stress, women release oxytocin. This compels them to protect their kids as well as connect with other women.
“Research shows that women, [possibly] more than men, need to maintain friendship connections. It increases serotonin and oxytocin, the bonding hormone,” explained Alisa Ruby Bash, PsyD, LMFT.
As women get older, it is more important to keep this bond stronger.
“We get busier, with more responsibilities. It makes us feel nurtured and validated to hang out with friends we can be totally ourselves [with], minus the outside pressures,” Dr. Bash told HealthLine.
It is true that women live stressful lives, what with their many responsibilities with their jobs and their families; however, these studies showed that making time to go out and bond with their girlfriends at least twice a week had more benefits.
So, ladies, make it a point to hang out with your girlfriends! That’s supported by many studies…