Daily social interactions may help protect physical health and cognitive function, study suggests

Simple everyday social interactions—such as calling a friend, attending a neighborhood gathering or spending extra time talking with someone—may have a meaningful impact on long-term physical and cognitive health, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine.

Psychologist Susan Charles has received a $2.55 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to investigate how daily fluctuations in feelings of social connection influence health over time.

The project, titled Linking Daily Dynamics of Social Connection to Physical and Cognitive Functioning, aims to better understand how everyday experiences of feeling connected—or isolated—affect the body and brain. Researchers believe the findings could help reshape approaches to preventing loneliness and improving healthy aging.

While previous studies have consistently shown that strong social relationships are associated with better health, most have measured social connection as a stable personal characteristic. Charles argues that social connectedness changes from day to day and that these daily variations may be just as important for health.

According to the researchers, small daily choices—such as reaching out to a friend despite feeling tired or regularly attending social gatherings—may provide immediate emotional benefits while also encouraging physical activity and mental engagement. Over time, these repeated experiences could contribute to healthier aging.

The study will analyze data from more than 2,900 participants aged 24 to 97 enrolled in the long-running Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project. The dataset includes daily diary interviews collected over nearly two decades, along with cognitive testing, health assessments and biological samples from many participants.

Scientists will examine biological markers associated with aging and disease, including cortisol, inflammatory markers, gene expression and indicators of biological aging. They will investigate whether consistent daily social connection is associated with lower levels of chronic inflammation and other biological processes linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia and other age-related conditions.

The researchers are particularly interested in older adults, whose health may be more vulnerable to the effects of social isolation. They hope the findings will help identify people at greatest risk and support strategies that encourage regular social interaction as part of healthy aging.

According to Charles, social connection should be viewed as a daily health behavior—similar to physical exercise or a balanced diet—and could become an important component of disease prevention and cognitive health promotion.

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