Live longer, healthier, happier: Focus on human connections

Most of us have a good idea of ​​what contributes to good physical and mental health: Eat a nutritious diet. Exercise regularly. Sleep well. Practice gratitude and positive attitude. Engage in activities that bring joy and satisfaction.

But the understanding of public health is not very clear. What exactly are the best signs? in society health? It has been said that when “I” is replaced by “We,” even “sickness” becomes “wellness.”

Good relationships are clearly one of the keys to a healthy community. Unfortunately, many people miss it. About half of US adults feel that no one knows them well. Globally, only 20% of adults say they have at least one person they can trust for help.

Kasley Killam is making it his life’s work to solve this problem. A Harvard-trained sociologist, Killam is recognized as a leader in the development and understanding of public health. He collaborates with various organizations such as Google and the World Economic Forum to promote products that strengthen society, workplaces and communities. He is the author of The Art and Science of Communication: Why Social Health is the Essential Key to Longer, Healthier, and Happier Lives.r.

Killam says the first sign of community health is having the right amount and quality of connection. Another sign is engaging in diverse social networks: diverse in terms of the types of people you meet and get support from – including your family, friends, colleagues and community. But also, he says, they are different in terms of their identities and interests, because research shows that it is good to connect ages, cultures and backgrounds.

How does social health affect physical and mental health—and vice versa?

“Physical, mental and social health are interconnected,” says Killam. “People who maintain close relationships, feel supported, and interact regularly have a lower risk of depression, dementia, stroke, and death, for example. This shows that community health supports life.” physical and mental health, in addition to being important on their own. strengthen are different.

With so much research information available on physical and mental health, why has public health been comparatively neglected?

Killam says the way we understand health changes over time. “Recently, mental health has gone from being a sideline to a major topic in the headlines and dinner parties,” he says. “Spurred on by this epidemic and the growing awareness of loneliness and a public health problem, the next step in our collective understanding is to see health not only in the physical and mental but also in the community.”

In what ways can people evaluate their social life?

Killam says that a big part of his motivation for writing his book was to demystify public health and help link it to something more concrete and practical like exercise or nutrition.

He suggests: “To begin, assess who you interact with most often and which people and communities are important to you. “Then, evaluate the strength of those connections by thinking about how they feel. unity and purpose. Third, notice any gaps in quantity or quality of relationship in your life—those are opportunities to further improve your social life.”

What are the warning signs that public health is in danger?

“The biggest warning signs are if you feel alone, lonely, or like something is missing in your social life,” says Killam. “Maybe you don’t have as many friends as you would like, you wish you had spent more time with your family, or you hope to have a deeper relationship with people. But it’s not just disconnection that’s important to be aware of: feeling overly connected in unsatisfying ways can be harmful to your social life, too. For example, maybe most of your interaction takes place on social media or technology, or maybe you don’t have enough time to connect with yourself. ”

Despite their tendency to express themselves, how can people strengthen their social muscles by improving their relationships with others?

Using the analogy of strengthening your core muscles, Killam says there are four general ways to improve your social life.

“If the amount of connection in your life is low, stretch your social muscles by making new friends or joining new groups,” he says. “If the amount of connection in your life is high, relax your social muscles by maintaining or reducing how much you enjoy socializing. If the quality of connection in your life is low, flex your social muscles by deepen your bonds with the people you care about. And if the value of the relationship in your life is high, flex your friendship muscles by enjoying and maintaining your relationships.”

There is a lot of talk about low levels of employee engagement. What role does public health play in this commitment to anemia?

Killam says workers who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to get engaged, while lonely workers are more likely to take sick days or retire. “Depending on how much time we spend working throughout our lives, feeling connected to work (or not) will have a huge impact on your daily life and long-term health, ” he says. “In turn, your social health impacts how successful, motivated and happy you are in your work—and in your life.”

How does the “busy” epidemic affect people’s health?

Killam says busyness is a hindrance to public health “because it’s easy to get caught up in work schedules and busy schedules, while we let our relationships fall by the wayside and take the people we love for granted.” they will always be there. In fact, having a healthy community requires prioritizing and continuing to strengthen our relationships. “The good news, Killam says, is that many studies show that even simple gestures of giving information that don’t take a lot of time can work. So, with intention, you can be healthy even when you’re busy. .”

The main takeaway, Killam says, is that social health is just as important as your physical and mental health. By making a commitment to connection in your life, you will reap benefits for your health and well-being—while benefiting the people you meet. He says: “That is what makes public health special. “It’s not just a gift to you, but to the world.”