Happy Healthy You: Social

From the time you’re born, your relationships help you learn to navigate the world. You know how to interact with others, express yourself, conduct everyday health habits, and be a part of different communities from those around you. Positive social habits can help you build support systems and stay healthier mentally and physically.

Tips for optimal social wellness:

Make connections. Social connections might help protect health and lengthen life. Scientists are finding that our links to others can affect our health. To find new social connections, volunteer at a local school, hospital, library, or place of worship. Take care of yourself while caring for others. Social connections might help protect health and lengthen life.
Scientists are finding that our links to others can affect our health. To take care of yourself while caring for others, ask for help. Also, keep up with your hobbies and interests when you can.
Get active together. Where you live, work, or go to school can significantly impact how much you move and even how much you weigh. Being involved with others in your community can positively affect your health habits and create opportunities to connect. You can help your community develop ways to encourage more physical activity. Start a walking group with friends, neighbors, or co-workers.
Bond with your kids. Children with solid connections to their caregivers are more likely to be able to cope with life’s challenges. Give children meaningful jobs at home and positive recognition afterward. Help them improve their skills one step at a time. Use kind words, tones, and gestures when giving instructions or making requests.
Build healthy relationships. Strong, healthy relationships are essential throughout your life. They can impact your mental and physical well-being. To build healthy relationships, recognize how other people influence you. Ask for what you need from others. Be caring and empathetic. Expect others to treat you with respect in return.
Shape your family’s health habits. If you’re a parent, know that your everyday behavior also plays a big part in shaping your child’s behavior. To help kids form healthy habits, be a role model. Make healthy choices easy. Focus on fun, and limit screen time.

Resources:

Social Wellness Toolkit

Article Reference:

National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director, Social Wellness Toolkit (2023, Feb 16). 6 strategies for improving your social health, Retrieved on 2023, Dec 7 from https://www.nih.gov/health-information/social-wellness-toolkit