It’s that time of year when social gatherings pick up, and casual, happenstance meetups occur as everyone is back outside walking, or gardening, or engaging in other leisure activities. Not only do these connections and gatherings brighten our day or fill us with pleasure, but according to recent research, they are also helping to support healthier aging, enhance our brain functioning, and even extend the length of our lives. So pull out your social calendar and let’s start planning.

According to research just published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, older adults who lead socially active lives appear to gain a significant advantage in terms of longevity and biological aging. What this research found was that compared to individuals with low social engagement, those who are socially active can reduce their risk of mortality over a four-year period by as much as 42%. The research, coming out of UC San Francisco, included over 2000 adults aged 60 and older who were involved in activities such as charity work, grandparenting, and club participation. It appears that such engagement had an impact on the cellular level, as those with active social lives were biologically aging more slowly and were more physically active than their socially disengaged counterparts. To find out more, put your name on that volunteer sheet and click here.

An earlier study from this Spring also found health benefits from socialization for older adults. That study, published in the Journal of Aging and Health, described 3 different types of social networks that a group of 1500 older adults were involved with: an enriched network, with diverse, active relationships; a focused network, which was of more limited scope but still socially supportive; and a restricted network, mostly involving small groups centered on family relationships. Over ten years, these various social connections were monitored and studied both for the opportunities to expand their networks and the health implications of being in these different types of social gatherings later in life. Those in the most enriched social networks self-reported the highest levels of health and wellness, while those in the restricted networks reported significantly poorer health. Not only were researchers able to see the impact of various types of social engagement on health and aging, but they were also able to document that if given the opportunity, older adults can expand their social networks and reap the health benefits that come from that. This type of “social mobility” may be crucial to supporting and improving the health and well-being of vulnerable and isolated older adults. For more on this study, read here.

Finally, we also have recent research reporting an apparent protective effect of social activity on the onset of dementia. Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, this study found that in older adults, frequent social engagement may delay or even prevent the development of dementia. Specifically, it was found that frequent social activity was associated with a 38% reduction in dementia risk and a 21% reduction in the risk for mild cognitive impairment. While the exact connection between social engagement and delayed dementia is unclear, scientists hypothesize that conversations and connections while socially engaged require the brain to process complex information, thereby keeping neural pathways active and supporting the brain to become more resilient to age-related changes. So, more than just pleasurable time spent with others, social engagement may be one more strategy to keep your cognition intact. We also know that regular social engagement has many mental health benefits, including better sleep, improved stress management, and lowering your risk of such mental health problems as depression and anxiety.

Wondering what kind of social activity might boost your brain and well-being? Medical News Today has created a comprehensive list of an array of social activities for seniors. And curious how your “Social Biome” stacks up compared to others? You can find out how you rate when it comes to the health of your “social” life by sharpening your pencil and taking this New York Times quiz here.