第2871期:The power of friendship to keep you young

If you've ever felt the benefit of a loved one's warm embrace when you're feeling stressed or sad, it might not surprise you that strong relationships can do wonders for your wellbeing. Research over the years has shown that people with strong social ties tend to be healthier, but a 2025 study, published in Brain, Behaviour and Immunity now suggests that it could also slow down the ageing process.如果你曾在压力大或情绪低落时，从挚爱的人温暖拥抱中得到力量，那么你大概不会惊讶：稳固的人际关系对身心健康有奇效。多年来的研究显示，拥有强大社会联系的人往往更健康；而 2025 年发表在《大脑、行为与免疫》上的一项研究更指出，人际关系甚至可能减缓衰老过程。Researchers in the United States came up with a measure called 'cumulative social advantage', which takes into account the benefits of maintaining strong, supportive relationships over time, rather than just newer relationships. They looked at things like support from parents growing up, participation in the community, and ongoing support from friends and family. People who had these things were more likely to have a younger biological age and less inflammation in the body. Co-author of the study, Anthony Ong, says "Think of social connections like a retirement account. The earlier you start investing and the more consistently you contribute, the greater your returns".美国研究人员提出了一个名为“累积社会优势”的指标，它强调的是长期维持稳定且具支持性的人际关系所带来的效益，而不仅仅是新建立的关系。他们考察的因素包括：成长过程中来自父母的支持、参与社区活动的程度，以及来自亲友的持续支持。具备这些条件的人，往往拥有更年轻的生物年龄和更低的身体炎症水平。该研究的合著者安东尼·翁（Anthony Ong）说：“把社交联系当作退休账户。越早开始投资、越持续投入，回报就越大。”So, how are friendships so powerful? Humans have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years as social beings – we're wired for connection. For our ancestors, being part of a group wasn't just about having company, it kept us safe and made it easier to find and share food and raise offspring. And it now appears that these connections affect our bodies on a biological, cellular level.那么，友谊究竟为什么如此强大？人类在数十万年的演化中始终是社会性动物——我们生来就需要连接。对祖先而言，成为群体的一部分不仅意味着有伙伴，更是保护自身安全、寻找食物、分享资源与养育后代的重要方式。而现在看来，这些连接甚至会在生物学与细胞层面影响我们的身体。"While it is always good to make new friends, there is often a greater sense of trust and dependability with people you've known for a longer time," says Hillary Ammon, a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety and Women's Emotional Wellness. Of course, maintaining relationships as we get older can be difficult as people closest to us move away, or prioritise other things. Hillary says not to worry if your friends are newer, as connection is what really matters. A strong network of friends not only adds years to your life, it adds life to your years.“虽然结交新朋友当然很好，但与认识更久的人往往更容易建立深度的信任与可靠感。”来自焦虑与女性情绪健康中心的临床心理学家希拉里·阿蒙（Hillary Ammon）说。当然，随着年龄增长，维持关系变得更困难——朋友可能搬离，或将生活重心转向其他事情。希拉里强调，即便你的朋友比较新，也无需担心，关键是“连接本身”。稳固的友谊网络不仅能延长生命，更能让生命更有质量。