Social Connections May Help You Live Longer, New Cornell Research Finds

Having strong connections with others can help you live longer.

A new study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity – Health, found that social relationships can actually slow down cellular aging.

These connections are known to have an overall positive impact on health, but Cornell University researchers focused on the long-term benefits of biological aging.

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The researchers used data from 2,117 U.S. adults, measuring “cumulative social advantage” (CSA) related to family relationships, emotional support, religious commitment, and community engagement.

These scores were then compared to biological markers, including cellular aging, inflammation, and stress hormone function, with a focus on “epigenetic clocks,” which estimate the rate of aging.

People with higher “cumulative social advantage” had slower biological aging, lower inflammation, and no effect on stress hormones. (iStock)

People with a higher CSA were found to have slower biological aging, lower inflammation, and no effect on stress hormones.

The researchers also noted that higher social advantage is linked to lower levels of interleukin-6, a pro-inflammatory molecule responsible for heart disease, diabetes and neurodegeneration.

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The study’s lead author, Anthony Ong, professor of psychology and director of the Human Health Laboratories at the College of Human Ecology in New York, noted how he was “struck” to discover how relationships have a physical impact at the molecular level.

“We found that strong social bonds can literally slow down the biological aging process,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Strong social connections appear to work in the background for many years, building a more resilient body by reducing chronic low-grade inflammation that is a key driver of accelerated aging.”

Ong expanded on the findings further in a Cornell Chronicle article. “This article builds on a seminal study we published last year that shows how cumulative social benefits are linked to positive health outcomes,” he wrote.

According to experts, family, friends and community ties, like religious groups, play a role in social depth. (iStock)

“This new study delves deeper into the same data to understand biological mechanisms, essentially how social connections get under our skin and affect aging at the molecular level.”

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The four key areas of connection include “the warmth and support you received from your parents growing up, the degree of connection you feel with your community and neighborhood, your involvement in religious or faith-based communities, and ongoing emotional support from friends and family,” Ong detailed.

“What is striking is the cumulative effect: these social resources accumulate on top of each other over time,” he continued. “It’s not just about having friends today; it’s about how your social connections have developed and deepened throughout your life. This accumulation shapes your health trajectory in measurable ways.”

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While that doesn’t mean a single friendship or community experience will add years to a person’s life, “the depth and consistency of social connection” across the lifespan “matters deeply,” the researchers noted.

Investing in high-quality relationships is just as important for physical well-being as diet and exercise, the researcher said. (Getty Images/Adamkaz)

“Think of social connections like a retirement account,” Ong recommended. “The earlier you start investing and the more regularly you contribute, the higher your returns will be.”

“Our study shows that these feedbacks aren’t just emotional, they’re biological. People with richer, more sustained social connections literally age more slowly at the cellular level. Aging well means both staying healthy and staying connected – they are inseparable.”

“People with richer, more sustained social connections literally age more slowly at the cellular level.”

Investing in high-quality relationships is just as important for physical well-being as diet and exercise, Ong noted, because connections can “profoundly affect how your body ages.”

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“A useful analogy is to think of the body as a house that must withstand the storms of life,” he said. “Each strong friendship is like adding insulation; each supportive family member strengthens the foundation.”