3 Underrated Ways Social Interactions Affect Your Longevity, From A Science Journalist 

So, how does your social network affect your longevity in the long run? Here, Zaraska outlines three reasons: 

The same goes for the opposite scenario: According to Zaraska, loneliness can make you more prone to illness. According to another study, lonely first-year college students had a weaker immune response to the flu shot3. "Loneliness [can be] really bad when you are trying to avoid viruses," Zaraska notes. Of course, there are other factors at play—just because you might be feeling lonely doesn't mean your immune system is doomed—but it does show that a chronic sense of loneliness can affect immunity in some way.

Did you know you actually exchange gut microbes with others? It's true: According to Zaraska, you share microbes with those you interact with4—even family pets5! Social contact can actually diversify your microbiome, and, as you may know by now, a diverse microbiome is a healthier microbiome—which also goes hand-in-hand with immunity. Of course, much more research is needed before we can say for sure, but it does seem promising. 

The thing is, says Zaraska, cohabitation won't offer as many health benefits if you aren't in a committed relationship. What does this mean? Well, it's not necessarily about the cohabitation itself—it's about the relationship. "If the commitment is not there, then unfortunately the health benefits are not as powerful," she says. That's because a committed relationship provides a feeling of safety. "Your HPA [hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal] axis can really calm down because this person is there for you for better or for worse. No matter what happens to you, this person will be there."

Zaraska also notes that acts of kindness (dubbed the "Mother Teresa effect"6) can actually boost your antiviral response, similar to the immune-strengthening scenario we mentioned above. "You can also do a lot of small acts of kindness, which can be very powerful," she says. "Just things like leaving a sticky note on your neighbor's door with a smiley face on it. That's a small act of kindness, and it still works." 

Connecting with others can have powerful, tangible benefits for your health. Take it from Zaraska: Social interactions—no matter how big or small—can affect your immunity, gut microbiome, mental health, and so much more.