Extend Yourself to a Friend, Extend Your Life

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Hour 2

PE-132-0113Most people recognize the important role friends play in our lives, offering support and companionship.  But research over the past decade has shown that friendships do even more — they lengthen our lives, increasing our chances of survival by 50%.  A new study in the Journal Plos Medicine found that social connectedness is as important to our health as regular exercise, watching our weight, or not smoking.  This hour, guest host Tracey Matisak talks about the important role social relationships have on our health with JULIANNE HOLT-LUNSTAD, associate professor of psychology at Brigham Young University and BELLA DEPAULO, psychology professor at University of California Santa Barbara.

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[audio: 081110_110630.mp3]

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