Why Men Need Friends

Well guys it seems there has been a bit of research about the importance of mates and getting away with them for a few days.

 

Andrew May’s article in WA Today on the 5th of June 2014 informs us that a guys weekend away, which he calls a ‘hoffsite’ (husbands offsite) is very beneficial. And it’s not just about drinking beer, eating lots of meat and reminiscing about old girlfriends! Here’s the evidence from his article:

 

‘It seems us blokes are not alone in our thinking. A study at Cornell University found men who do not spend enough time with their friends can actually feel less attracted to their partner. Professor Benjamin Cornwell noted that reducing contact with male friends can be dangerous. “A man’s ability to play a round of golf or to have a few drinks with a friend who has only a passing acquaintance to his wife or girlfriend is crucial to preserving some independence in life” he says. The researchers also found erectile dysfunction was almost double in the group whose wives had steadily cut ties with their husbands’ old friends.

 

Co-author Edward Laumann commented: “(A man needs) to have someone to talk to about the things that matter to him – whether it’s football, politics, what car he is going to buy, or worries about his health or his job. The important thing is that he can let it all hang out and know that what he says isn’t going to get straight back to his wife.”

 

Another study from Ohio University published in Personal Relationships highlighted that “friends are essential because they provide emotional stability in a person’s life, and long-term friendships provide a sense of shared history that can be a rarity in today’s environment. Friends from our youth anchor us in this age of constant mobility.”

 

And in a 10-year longevity study, researchers at the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University concluded a solid network of friends is more likely than close family relationships to increase longevity in older people. Researchers found people with extensive networks of friends outlived those with fewer friends by 22 per cent, while close relationships with children and relatives had little effect on longevity.’

 

So ladies there’s some good news in there for you too and credit towards a ladies weekend away don’t you reckon?

 

Would that be a ‘woffsite’?

 

Interested in the rest of Andrew’s article, check it out here.