What are you going to try to do better this year? Are you going to exercise more? Lose weight? Save more money?
These are all great goals, but there’s another that you may want to add: being better at staying in touch with friends and family.
While family members are scattered farther than ever these days, thankfully, there are also more ways than ever before to stay in touch: social media, email, texting, and of course, Nixplay WiFi Cloud digital frames, which allow you to send pictures immediately to your loved ones’ frames.
And there are lots of reasons to do so. Staying in touch with the ones you love means you’re building a strong social network, which has many proven benefits. Here are just a few of them.
Better quality of life
Most of us know without even thinking about it that having a strong social network means a better quality of life.
Humans are social creatures – without social interaction, we wither away. That’s almost the literal truth, as countless studies have shown that isolation, especially in old age, is connected with shorter lifespans and poorer health.
Having a positive social network, on the other hand, in the form of friends and family whom you can count on in times of need, has been linked to better health, better mental functioning, and longer life.
Less stress
Strong social networks of friends and family also contribute to lower levels of stress, as well as better handling of stress when it occurs.
The simple fact of knowing that there are people who care about you, and who are willing to help shoulder your burdens, can help a great deal in relieving everyday stress. When something major does happen, as it does eventually for all of us, you can rest easier knowing that your support network will be there to help you get through it.
An important point, however, is that this support network must be built in advance. It’s got to be maintained. We never know when the difficult times are going to strike – it’s important to stay in touch with those we love not only so that they can be there for us, but so we can be there for them when they need us, too.
Better brain health
Studies have proven over and over that positive, regular social interactions help preserve our mental functioning. This becomes especially important as we age and cognitive decline begins to be a possibility.
Research by faculty at the University of Michigan, for example, have uncovered a link between positive social relationships and cognitive performance.
In a follow-up study, this was further proven. Study participants were assigned to one of three groups: one was supposed to socialize, one solved puzzles, and another watched TV. Afterwards, members of each group were tested on cognitive performance, and the group that socialized scored the highest.
Better mental health
Brain functioning is one thing, but how about your overall mental health? Staying in touch with friends and family and building your social support network is also strongly linked to better psychological well-being.
Keeping loved ones close can help you prevent loneliness, give you a feeling of security, and increase your self-esteem, all of which are vital to preserving your psychological well-being.
Now that you know the benefits of staying in touch, what are some easy ways to do so? Texts, emails, and phone calls are great methods, but you can also use our Nixplay WiFi Cloud digital frames as a way to build and retain relationships.
Give one to Grandma, so you can send her pictures of the grandkids’ birthday parties and sports games.
Get one for your own home, so your kids can check the frame for new images while you’re traveling on business trips.
If you’re an avid traveler, you can also create photo playlists on your frame that let you better share your trips and experiences with the ones you love. For more on this, read our post “How to Create a Meaningful Photo Playlist to Share Your Trip with Loved Ones.”
Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.