Our Friends Help Us Live Longer

Researchers at Concordia University found that social integration can influence mental and physical health.

A five-month study involved in a sample of international students who lived in Montreal found that participants who built better support net-workers were typically healthier with better heart rates than counterparts.

For the study, participants were asked to fill out questionnaires and have their heart rates monitored for five months. The researchers said they focused on detecting changes in high-frequency heart rate variability or fluctuations, explaining how heart rate fluctuations predicted the health of parasympathetic nervous systems.

"Other research has shown that individuals with a lower heart rate variability are at increased risk for the development of poor health, including greater risk for cardiac diseases. Therefore, decreases in heart rate variability are bad for you," said Jean-Philippe Gouin, a Concordia psychology professor, in a news release.

The findings showed that immigrants who made friends had increases in heart rate variability, whereas those who remained isolated showed a decrease in heart rate variability.

"In the weeks and months that follow a major move, people often find it hard to make new friends and establish a solid social network," added Gouin, who also holds a Canada Research Chair in Chronic Stress and Health.

"This study shows that such prolonged social isolation can have a negative effect on physical health by impacting our parasympathetic functioning. That applies not just to international students but to anyone moving to a new country or city or anyone experiencing major social changes."

Researchers reiterated how the findings show just how friendships can boost mental and physical well-being. 

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

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