Getting Along With People Is Good For Your Health

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Happier people tend to be healthier people.

It makes sense that it's easier to get through the day if you're in good spirits. The classic study on the issue is from Oregon. This report found that getting along with others is good for your health in both the short run and the long term.

The report looked at 700 older adults and it found that those who got along with relatives, friends, and neighbors were less likely to report health problems and they also had fewer physical limitations.

This study was unique because it looked specifically at interactions between people.

It's not known if this is due to the effects on the immune system or not, but until we find out why, we can still recommend living our lives with as little conflict as possible.