Have you been told that you spend too much time on Facebook? well next time you get told that, you can tell whoever tells you that, that your life depends on it.
Scientists who studied Facebook activity for more than a decade suggest that people who have strong social media networks and receive multiple friend requests are less likely to die.
According to a new study of 12 million Facebook users, being active on social media is associated with living a longer life.
The research confirms what scientists have known for a long time about the offline world: People who have stronger social networks live longer. And it documents for the first time that what happens online may matter also.
Because the researchers were studying an online social network, they could also look at the direction of friendship requests. It was Facebook users who accepted the most friendships who lived the longest. There was no observable relationship for those who initiated the most. This finding was a little disappointing, the researchers note, because it suggests that public health interventions urging people to go out and try to make more friends may have no effect on health.
Researchers found that having relationships on social media leads to better health and longevity. Science has long touted the benefits of having a good “real-world” circle of friends, and now it seems that your social media circle is just as beneficial. So get over to Facebook and create an account and start accepting those friend requests!
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