Dinner on Friday at 7 p.m.?

Most of us consider our friendships to be important, but friends are not only fun to be around, having a steady group of friends can make us healthier and live longer.

It's now well established that friendships are vital for our well-being.

In the 1930s, researchers recruited more than 700 men and followed them for decades.

They found that it was satisfying relationships, rather than fame, money, class or IQ, that kept them healthy and happy throughout their lives.

Having a rich and varied social life is even a key predictor for how long we'll live, as well as how healthy we'll be.

People with friends are at a lower risk of high blood pressure compared to those without.

Having a good friendship group also benefits our sleep and helps us heal faster.

One reason why is that a strong social network can boost our immune system.

Studies have shown that people with diverse social connections are less susceptible to illness.

One well-known study found that when individuals were infected with a cold virus, those with a better social life were four times less likely to become infected, or only got a mild cold.

On the other hand, social isolation is damaging for us.

A lack of friends has a similar effect on our health as smoking has, and relationship conflict is linked with chronic illness and higher mortality.

That's because feeling isolated and lonely causes a physical response in our body.

When we're lonely, our white blood cells change, become more inflamed and lead to a weakened immune response.

Even small, superficial social interactions give us a boost.

Saying hello to a barista in a coffee shop has been shown to increase our mood, while a kind act towards a stranger can reduce loneliness.

What this research reveals is the intricate link between our mental and physical health, so cultivating and nurturing our friendships literally extends our life and makes us healthier and happier.

Oh hi Nina!

It's been way too long, let's get a coffee in!

you