Being social actually has the benefit of a longer life – this from the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies. 

“People with strong social connections tend to have better health behaviors, like eating healthy foods and being physically active,” says Lisa Berkman, director of the group who explained how the stress of isolation can be harmful. Relationships with family, friends, and community members create a major impact on one’s health and well-being. According to the CDC, social bonds increase the likelihood of survival compared to others that have fewer social connections by 50%. 

 Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine revealed that “reward circuitry” plays a large role in why certain organisms can live longer with social interaction. Reward circuitry is when dopamine is released into the nucleus and it tells the brain that the event going on such as the social interaction is helpful and a wave of pleasure is produced. This has been observed to have affected how human interactions have evolved.

 Experiences such as hanging out with friends confer a survival advantage because they decrease the chance of getting eaten by predators. 

This is true not just for animals of the same species. Research published in Evolution, Medicine & Public Health in August of 2023, found that “social companionship – with both people and other animals — had the largest influence on healthy aging among dogs.” Scientists found that dogs who lived in households with stressful lifestyles had poorer health while dogs who experience more social companionship had better health than their more stressed counterparts. 

A companion dog can release dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels for people, and dogs receive the same benefits from humans. The ‘cingulate cortex’ is a section of the brain that is able to process the sensation of touch and different textures as pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Studies have found that the action of petting a dog, or giving it that good “belly rub” actually releases these bundles of “feel good” hormones for both a person and the pet.

Socializing is a common day occurrence. When people wake up and leave for work, school, or a fun outing one of the main components is socialization. Having a social life benefits the health of others and your own and even your pet!