How to MAKE FRIENDS in your 50s

Have you noticed that it's harder to maintain old relationships or find new ones as you get older? Be reassured, you're not alone

- Debra Waters

Reaching half a century is a milestone – a time when we’re wiser, calmer and more confident. But life may also feel at its most demanding. This is the age of the sandwich generation, when many of us are supporting elderly parents while raising kids – not to mention juggling jobs, partners and health issues. It is, quite possibly, when we need our friends the most, but friendships are often the ball we drop.

We may be too busy to maintain long-term friendships, especially if distance is a factor, or too tired to nurture new acquaintances. Yet research shows friendships should be a priority. Feeling socially connected helps us live longer, says Lydia Denworth, author of Friendship: The Evolution, Biology and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. ‘Our bodies and brains are hardwired for friendship because there are evolutionary advantages to being good at making and maintaining friends,’ she says. ‘It improves cardiovascular functioning, our immune system, cognitive and mental health, our stress responses and the quality of our sleep.’

DID YOU KNOW?

People with a network of supportive friends are seven times more likely to feel happy and satisfied with their lives, found the World Happiness Report.