Struggling Buccaneers defense faces another rookie QB, hosting Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans
Tampa Bay's struggling defense faces a rookie quarterback for the second straight week, hosting Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday
1970-01-01 08:00
Scientists say monthly visits from family and friends can help you live longer
Scientists have found that visiting friends and family at least once a month can help you live longer. According to a recent study published by the University of Glasgow in BioMed Central Medicine, researchers discovered that there was a correlation between how often a person was visited by their family and friends with their life expectancy. Those who were never visited by their family reportedly had a higher risk of dying. Amid the ongoing loneliness epidemic, social isolation has previously been linked by researchers to a shorter life expectancy. This latest study sought to understand the effect that different types of social interaction have on our quality of life, with visits from friends and family, participating in a weekly group activity, and not living alone reportedly making the biggest difference among a group of 458,146 participants in the United Kingdom. Participants were between the ages of 37 and 73, with the average age being 56 years old, and data was collected between 2006 and 2010. Researchers asked the participants questions about the five different forms of social interaction: how often they were able to confide in someone close to them, how often they felt lonely, how often friends and family visited, how often they participated in a weekly group activity, and whether or not they lived alone. “We also tried to take into account lots of other factors that could explain the findings — like how old people were, their gender, their socioeconomic status, whether they were a smoker and more,” Dr Hamish Foster, a clinical research fellow at the University of Glasgow and the lead study author, explained to Insider. “And even after removing those factors from the equation it still showed that these social connections were important for risk of death.” Depending on when the participants were recruited, researchers would revisit the questions with the participants an estimated 12.6 years later to follow up. They reportedly found that, within those years, 33,135 or 7.2 per cent of participants died, with 5112 or 1.1 per cent passing from cardiovascular-related deaths. Strikingly, the study also found that “regardless of weekly group activity or functional components,” those who never had friends or family visit while also living alone were 77 per cent more likely to have a higher risk of death. However, Dr Foster cautions that the study is unable to take into account both the complexity and the quality of human social interactions. “Humans are really complicated and so are our connections and our measures in this study are pretty crude compared with what humans are capable of, but this study is still very detailed and is starting to drill down into how different types of connection are important,” Foster said to the outlet. He added that the study cannot prove that less socialisation causes death, but it does prove that loneliness and isolation can lead to not only poorer mental health but also poorer physical health. “We need to see more society-level interventions and support that make social connections easier, more likely, and of higher quality,” Foster added. “For example, community centers, parks, places, and activities that make it easy for people to meet and connect for high-quality relationships.” Dr Foster and his team of researchers aren’t the first to connect the dots between longer life spans and active social lives, with Netflix recently shining the spotlight on the famed blue zones - places with notably high populations of centenarians - in the docuseries, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue. Within blue zones like Ikaria, Greece, or Okinawa, Japan, social interaction is prioritised within the community rather than being left on the backburner in favour of economic or individualistic pursuits. As the digital age and the pandemic have brought on an increase in social isolation, Dr Foster stressed that it’s important for young people to nurture their social lives and participate in their communities. Read More Blake Shelton opens up about parenting style with Gwen Stefani To shave or not to shave: How women can participate in No-Shave November Game of Thrones actor announces ‘unbearable loss’ of baby after stillbirth
1970-01-01 08:00
Jaromir Jagr's NHL journey began in Pittsburgh. It will end with the club retiring his No. 68
Jaromir Jagr’s familiar No. 68 is heading to the rafters at PPG Paints Arena
1970-01-01 08:00
European Investment Bank to Back Barbados Debt-for-Climate Swap
The European Investment Bank is backing a new debt-for-climate swap for Barbados as the transactions gain in popularity
1970-01-01 08:00
Packers' Jaire Alexander and Quay Walker doubtful for Sunday's game with Steelers
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander and linebacker Quay Walker are doubtful for Sunday’s game with the Pittsburgh Steelers
1970-01-01 08:00
Arizona's athletic department is struggling financially ahead of move to the Big 12
The University of Arizona’s athletic department is struggling financially ahead of its move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12
1970-01-01 08:00
Trump’s 40 Wall St. Tower Loan Transferred to Special Servicer
The mortgage on former President Donald Trump’s Manhattan tower at 40 Wall St. has been transferred to a
1970-01-01 08:00
5 best Rhys Hoskins destinations in free agency with Phillies out
With the Philadelphia Phillies presumably letting Rhys Hoskins walk, there should be plenty of widespread interest around the league in the slugging first baseman
1970-01-01 08:00
Big Ten bans No. 2 Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh from final 3 games over alleged sign-stealing scheme
Jim Harbaugh has been banned from Michigan's three remaining regular-season games by the Big Ten for a sign-stealing scheme that has rocked college football
1970-01-01 08:00
Is Quinn Ewers playing this week? Latest Longhorns injury update vs. TCU
As Texas prepares to face off against TCU, the status of injured quarterback Quinn Ewers is coming into focus.
1970-01-01 08:00
Macron calls on Israel to stop killing Gaza's women and babies
In an exclusive BBC interview, the French president said a ceasefire would be in Israel's interest.
1970-01-01 08:00
Apparent SpaceX Glitch Locks People Out of Starlink Accounts
A mysterious Starlink bug seems to be locking out new users from their accounts, leaving
1970-01-01 08:00
