#SocialWellbeing

For generations, the recipe for a healthy and long life has typically featured a familiar mix: maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and keeping chronic illnesses in check. Yet decades of scientific research are now highlighting another, often overlooked “hidden health habit” that is even more influential—our relationships. In a synthesis of findings presented by Psychology Today on June 1, 2025, experts summarize why the warmth, stability, and quality of our social ties might be the single most powerful predictor of both mental and physical well-being later in life, potentially outstripping even the benefits of healthy eating or fitness routines (psychologytoday.com).

As global uncertainties and digital connectivity entwine daily life, new research has found that stress doesn’t only affect individuals—it can spread from person to person like a virus. Recent studies covered in The Washington Post highlight the science behind “stress contagion,” where exposure to the anxieties and pressures of others can trigger your own stress response. For Thai readers navigating pressures at work, school, or even scrolling through social media, understanding stress contagion and strategies to avoid catching it is both timely and essential (Washington Post, 2025).