Everyone knows a bit of gal time is good for the soul, but new research says that hanging out with your bestie could genuinely be good for your health.
As we get older, making sure we get that quality time with our friends can be increasingly difficult but according to the new study, spending time with mates when we age is good for us.
So, if you ever needed a reason to get the girls round and crack open a bottle of wine then there it is.
Researchers at Northwestern University looked at a group of 50 elderly people's health and social life and found that those with the most hectic social calendars tended to be the healthiest.
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The study found that many of the old people actually attributed their good health to their special calendar.
Of the 50, 31 people were 'Super Agers' and 19 were cognitively average-for-age peers. The 'Super Agers' makes reference to men and women over the age of 80, with 'episodic memory and impressive cognitive awareness'.
The participants were each asked to fill out a 42-item questionnaire which asked questions about their psychological well-being, among other things.
From the results, researchers found that the Super Agers particularly stood out for their answers about relationships, reporting to have more warm, trusting and satisfying relationships than their 'average' peers.
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The results came as no surprise to researchers which lined up nicely with the idea that 'positive relationships to a reduced risk of cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
In June another study found that friendships could even be more important to health than family relationships.
Other studies have also claimed that maintaining friendships at an older age is just as important as diet and exercise.
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As if we didn't need a better excuse to meet up with our friends for a good chin wag, it's all in the name of health.
Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros.Topics: Life News, Real, Friends