Live Whole Health #335: The Power of Connection – news.va.gov

Live Whole Health #335: The Power of Connection  news.va.gov

Strong relationships boost longevity; social connection reduces early death risk and supports lasting health and well-being. A study of over three million people found that strong social connections lower the risk of early death by as much as 30%. This is a greater effect than many people expected, In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General has noted that the health risk of poor social connections can be as damaging to our health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. A 2025 global report found that loneliness is linked to an estimated 100 deaths every hour. Building relationships strengthens us. The Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies of adult life, has followed participants since 1938 and is now tracking a second generation of families.

Its central finding, repeated across more than 80 years of data, is that people with stronger family and community ties are happier, healthier, and live longer than those without them. One of the best things you can do for your health may be surprisingly simple: call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, catch a ball game with a cousin, or grab coffee with a neighbor. Small moments like these can make a larger difference in your well-being than you may realize. In this 7-minute video, Dr. Tosha Ellis guides you