Psychology News
Researchers at the American Heart Association explored how families who eat together experience lower levels of stress. The details from the study are published on the organization’s official website.
The Study
To understand how mealtime togetherness help to manage families’ stress levels, the research team surveyed 1000 adults across the US.
The Findings
The results revealed that sharing meals with others helps manage stress at work or at home. It was also found that a meal with loved ones (like friends, family, and neighbors) makes us feel more socially connected and less isolated.
Besides decreasing our negative emotions, such regular meal times also make us choose healthier food and lean towards more informed food choices.
One of the lead researchers, Erin Michos, elaborated: “Sharing meals with others is a great way to reduce stress, boost self-esteem and improve social connection, particularly for kids. Chronic, constant stress can also increase your lifetime risk of heart disease and stroke, so it is important for people to find ways to reduce and manage stress as much as possible, as soon as possible.”
To Know More You May Refer To
American Heart Association. (2022, October 10). New survey: 91% of parents say their family is less stressed when they eat together. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 7, 2022 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221010115407.htm
