Key takeaways

  • Social wellness is your ability to build supportive relationships, connect with others, and create a sense of belonging among peers or a community.
  • Social connection offers various health benefits, including reduced stress, improved mental health, a sense of belonging, and a lower risk of certain physical health conditions.
  • Although initiating socialization can feel stressful, you can take small steps to strengthen your social wellness today. Try texting or calling a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while or smiling at a stranger.

Social wellness, or social well-being, encompasses your social habits, including how you interact with others and the quality of your social relationships.

This article explains some of the major benefits of social wellness, how to manage stress related to socializing, and some small tips you can try today to improve your social life.

This article is Day 3 of Healthline’s 14-day Stress Reset Challenge. Follow along to discover simple ways to reduce stress, build healthier habits, and feel more balanced.

Missed a day? Catch up with Day 9: Does Coffee Raise Cortisol?, or continue on to Day 11: How to Decompress After Work.

Social wellness refers to your ability to connect with others, build and sustain relationships, and create a sense of belonging. It may encompass things such as:

  • regular social connections
  • social support from others
  • interactions in a community

Social wellness doesn’t necessarily focus on the number of social connections you have, but on the quality of your relationships and interactions.

Social support can come from various sources, including family members, friends, and even our pets!

According to research, social wellness can benefit us in the following ways:

Stress relief

Research suggests that social relationships can help protect against stress, potentially by offering support that makes stressors feel more manageable.

Social isolation may have a negative effect on your response to stressors and your regulation of cortisol, a hormone often called the stress hormone.

There is not necessarily a relationship between the number of social relationships a person has and their stress response. Instead, the supportive nature of relationships may be more important for influencing your cortisol levels.

Better mental health

According to research in a 2024 review, higher levels of social connection can help protect against depression. In fact, research highlights a strong association between depression and loneliness or social isolation.

People who live alone and rarely receive social or emotional support are almost twice as likely to report feeling depressed as those who receive social or emotional support and live with others.

A 2021 review also highlights that stronger social support may decrease mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and self-injury, during pregnancy.

Connection and belonging

Social relationships can help create a sense of belonging and community. A greater sense of belonging and connectedness can have various benefits, including improving academic achievement and mental health in school-age children.

Physical health

Social isolation and loneliness may link with a higher risk of certain physical diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.

Higher levels of loneliness also correlate with lower levels of physical activity, which can have adverse effects on our health.

In older adults, social support from friends may also have protective effects against health issues such as hearing impairment.

Although social wellness offers various health benefits, socializing can be a source of stress for many people.

For example, people with social anxiety may fear situations in which others can reject or judge them. This can cause discomfort that leads to someone withdrawing from or avoiding social situations.

It is also important to note that most research on the benefits of social wellness focuses on supportive social relationships. If someone’s relationships are not a source of support, they may not experience the same benefits and may feel stress or anxiety when socializing.

That said, social isolation can negatively affect your physical and mental well-being, so it’s important to find and sustain supportive, meaningful relationships with others, even if your social circle is small.

Tips for managing stress in social situations

The following tips may help you manage feelings of stress or social anxiety when socializing with others:

  • journal about your feelings before and after social events
  • try relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness or progressive muscle relaxation
  • meet with only one or two friends instead of large groups, if large groups increase your anxiety
  • take a few minutes away from the situation by going to the bathroom
  • try to listen to what people are actually saying instead of assuming what they think about you
  • ground yourself with strategies like deep breathing
  • tell friends how you’re feeling — they may feel the same or be able to offer support

If social anxiety leads to social withdrawal and isolation, it is important to speak with a healthcare professional about your treatment options.

Below are some small strategies to add to your social wellness toolkit to strengthen your social connections this week:

  • Text a friend: This could be about something that reminded you of them, or even a simple “Hey, how are you doing?”
  • Schedule a call: Do you have any friends or family members you haven’t spoken to in a while? Arrange a call!
  • Say yes to one thing: Work and life commitments can make it challenging to keep in touch with people. Try saying yes to one invitation or experience this week to boost your social time.
  • Offer a compliment: Try smiling at or complimenting a stranger. If approaching a total stranger feels too intimidating, try it on your local barista or a colleague you’ve not spoken to very much.
  • Practice active listening: When you’re in conversation, give the other person your undivided attention. Listen to what they’re saying, avoid interrupting, and ask follow-up questions!

Bigger changes in your life that can boost social wellness include things like joining a club or trying out for a local sports team to meet people with the same interests.

From Our Editors

“I always try to push myself to go the extra mile to connect with friends in winter, as it can be so tempting to just hibernate away alone for the season. Even small steps like sending a message first or suggesting meeting for a coffee can help maintain those connections that can slip after busy festive periods”

— Lily, Editor

Learn 10 tips for being more social.

Quotes represent individual opinions. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Social wellness encompasses your relationships, how you connect with others, and your sense of belonging or connectedness.

Strong, supportive social relationships offer various benefits, including improved mental health, lower stress levels, a sense of community, and a lower risk of some physical diseases, such as heart issues.

Socializing can be a stressor by itself for some people. However, forming safe, comfortable social relationships can go a long way to protecting your overall health and well-being.