Friends

The Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University studied 1,500 older people for 10 years, finding that those who had a large network of friends outlived those with the fewest friends by 22%. Why is this so? ...good friends discourage unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and heavy drinking. And the companionship provided by friends may ward off depression, boost self-esteem, and provide support. Also, as people age, they may become more selective in their choice of friends, so they spend more time with people they like. Read more at WebMD