Plan Time for Fun and Friendship
It’s no secret that women are more likely to turn to female friends for support when they are going through difficult times. Now medical studies are showing that female friendships not only benefit women emotionally, they also improve women’s physical health.
Gathering with other women – whether it’s for a gabfest or a quilting bee – diminishes the ”fight or flight” response associated with stress and starts a stress-busting cycle, according to recent research by the University of California, Los Angeles.
But for many women, female friendships fall by the wayside because life is busy with family, work and other activities.
“Your social network can’t just be friends at work – you have to broaden out, you have to have shared interests and experiences outside of work,” says Cathy Lindstrom, vice president of John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital and last year’s keynote speaker at the Buddy Check 12 Girlfriend’s Getaway. “Just as its important to plan time for work and family, it’s important to plan time for female friendships, too.”