How relationships influence your health

The quality of your relationships and social interactions with your spouse, family, and friends can have a major impact on your overall health.

On one hand, good relationships can foster health and longevity by reducing stress levels, providing social support, and motivating you to maintain healthy habits. On the other hand, poor relationships can increase stress levels, which may strain the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, and endocrine systems. They can also contribute to weaker immunity and worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Creating healthy relationships

So, how can you nurture healthy relationships with the people closest to you? Start by taking the following steps:

Stand in their shoes

Sometimes, it can be hard to understand how or why a person is reacting to a certain situation or conflict, especially if you don’t agree with them. But try to take a step back, broaden your scope, and understand the story from their perspective.

Listen and communicate

If your loved one is going through a hard time (or just needs a vent session) one of the best things you can do is simply be present and listen without criticizing.

Forgive and accept forgiveness

It can be hard to forgive someone—and harder to ask for forgiveness yourself. Being open and honest is key to maintaining a healthy relationship, even if vulnerability may be uncomfortable sometimes.

Support your loved ones

Celebrate your loved ones’ achievements the same way you’d celebrate your own—with sincerity, enthusiasm, and excitement.

Examine your feelings

Another simple way to build healthy relationships is by paying attention to how they make you feel. Try a journal or smartphone app to log your emotions over time. Sharecare, available for iOS and Android, features a relationship tracker where you can record your response to daily interactions with family and friends. The insight you gain can help you take steps towards healthier communication.