Spending time with your parents can actually extend their lives, study says

• According to a research, loneliness is a subjective feeling of lacking companionship and a sense of not belonging
• It is also revealed in a study that loneliness causes inflammation and disruption in the immune system
• Older adults such as parents are more prone to loneliness, this is why their children should spend more time with them to extend their life expectancy

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.” – O. A. Battista

Throughout our lives, our parents never left our side whatever happens. They are always there to protect, guide, and love us unconditionally. But as we grew older, there are chances that we may spend less time with them.

We become too busy with our lives: work, personal issues, goals in life, relationships outside family, the need for independence, and many other factors drive us away from our parents.

This may not be an issue to us who are too busy surviving every day, but for our parents, the feeling of loneliness and longing for our time and affection will keep on building. And this is not healthy for them.

According to a research, loneliness is a subjective feeling of lacking a companionship and a sense of not belonging. This does not only affect us mentally but also physically by causing inflammation and disruption in our immune system.

The feeling of loneliness is rampant among older people such as parents. And being unable to spend more time with your parents may cause their life expectancy to be shorter.

This is also the focus of the study conducted by researchers at the University of California in San Francisco. According to the study, a companionship can help extend and even improve the quality of life of an adult.

The research also revealed that old people who have companions have longer life expectancy and enjoy their improved quality of life: thanks to the people who spend more time with them.

The study was conducted for almost six years and participated by 1,600 adults aged 60 and above. Researchers asked the participants whether they felt left out or lacks in companionship.

Participants who said they were feeling more lonely also said they experience difficulty doing daily activities; hence, these are people who are more likely to have a shorter life expectancy.

Now that you already know about this, start making an effort to spend more time not just with your parents but with your entire family. Make them feel loved and that they belong.