This article was published in TSE science magazine, TSE Mag. It is part of the Autumn 2024 issue, dedicated to health. Discover the full PDF here and email us for a printed copy or your feedback on the mag, there.

Human connection is essential to staying healthy. Friends and family make our lives  longer, as well as happier, but are rarely prescribed by doctors. Social network scientist Marion Hoffman (IAST) has studied the link between social interactions and depression, teenage segregation and the spread of Covid-19. Here are her top tips for social health…

• Invest effort in maintaining strong ties to gain intimacy, trust, and support that can prevent loneliness and mental health problems. 
• Combine these close bonds with a larger, diverse set of weak ties to access wider possibilities, such as job information, fresh perspectives, or a new hobby. 
• Aim for resilience. Friendship networks must not collapse when an individual tie is severed.  
• Socialize in diverse contexts to burst bubbles and connect with others. If  political rows start over coffee, try playing squash instead! 

Take care of your self 

Mental health is as important as your physical health. Throughout life, we all have to overcome hardships that can trigger emotions that are hard to deal with: anxiety, sadness, fear, etc. It’s OK to ask for help! Lots of great tips and advice can be found online.