Going with the Flo

Since friendship is a frequent topic for my blog these facts from Glamour resonated with me.

They make you live longer. Strong friendships boost your chances of a longer life by 50 percent, research has found. But low social interaction packed the same bad-health punch as smoking 15 cigarettes a day!

They keep you well. Studies show women with supportive friends sleep and manage stress better and bounce back faster from diseases.

They make life’s hurdles bearable. Researchers from the University of Virginia took students wearing heavy backpacks to the base of a hill and asked them to estimate how steep it was. Guess what? Students who stood next to a friend said the hill looked less intimidating than those who were alone. Says study coauthor Dennis R. Proffitt, Ph.D.: “Being with—or even thinking about—our friends lightens the load.”

Have you picked up the phone today? Send a note to let your friends know how grateful you are to have them in your life.