Monday Miyagi 072709
This week’s Monday Miyagi is inspired by a recent post from Mark’s Daily Apple. I’ve included a portion of the post below and a link to the full article. The article got me thinking about how our school helps to promote health. Most people are aware of some of the obvious physical benefits of training in martial arts. Increased strength, flexibility and cardiovascular health top the list. Mark’s post reminded me of the importance of the friendships that are developed in a martial arts school, both on and off the mat. Students connect in class and parents and siblings connect in the lobby. In the last 18 years I have made many great friends through the martial arts. We have a common interest and the shared experience of learning and growing through training builds strong bonds. This testimonial is from one of our adult students: “Everytime I go to class it is like going to an exclusive club to hang out with my friends. And I have made lots of friends in your school.” -Richard A.-
On or off the mat, take the time to recognize and cultivate old and new friendships.
Social Wellness, or Why Friendship Should Be a Health Priority
Reading club; Tuesday card games; progressive dinners; Saturday morning golf; summer barbeques; talks over coffee, cocktails, racquetball, quilting, dog walking or maybe just over the phone. The letters, emails, Facebook comments, the hugs, high fives or just hellos. What comes to mind when you think of your friends?
Friends, both new and old, close and far flung, hold a special place in our sentiments. We value the history we have with them, the perspective they bring, the support they offer, the stories they tell, the interests we share. Without a doubt, we’d say, they play an essential part in our lives. We’re better people, happier people as a result of our friendships, but maybe – it turns out – we’re healthier too?
For years researchers have talked about the dimension of “social wellness” in an overall wellness model, the premise that well-being develops through continuing self-actualization in a number of key areas, including socialization.
Beyond this theoretical model, however, recent research suggests that our social endeavors and relationships appear to have very concrete and significant impact on our physical health. Studies have linked strong social connectedness with measures as varied and dramatic as motor skill retention, cancer survival, general immune function, memory function preservation, and overall longevity. On the flip side, social isolation has been connected with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease.
And since much of the social connectedness research focuses on later life, it’s important to point out the “power of relationships” in overall happiness and “’successful aging’” as suggested by the famous longitudinal Grant Study. According to the head of the Grant Study, George Vaillant, the subjects’ close relationships were one of two variables most influential in “late-life adjustment.”
Researchers postulate many possibilities for the protective role of social connectedness. Those with close relationships are probably more likely to receive encouragement to take better care of themselves and seek out medical care when needed. But stress itself, they say, likely plays a significant role also. Social relationships, particularly friendships, reduce stress and its chronic impact on our physical and mental health. Friendships, in particular, provide a key outlet for our emotions, a meaningful network of support, and – in the case of old friendships – a unique mirror for our lives – the ups and downs, challenges and achievements. Friendships can give us a fresh perspective and emotional space from our problems. They can also ground us through the trajectory of our experiences and other primary relationships.