In the early 1960s scientists set out to establish the key factors effecting health and longevity. Their results: don’t smoke, drink in moderation, sleep seven to eight hours a night, exercise, eat regular meals, maintain a moderate weight, eat breakfast. Years later, however, the same team discovered an eighth factor – social connection. When we form meaningful bonds with others, our wounds heal faster, we shake off infections more quickly and our blood pressure drops. We are less likely to have Alzheimer’s, heart attacks or strokes. When people feel that they have strong social support, they perform better on tests of mental focus, memory and problem solving. In this book, David Robson does two important things: he takes us through the fascinating science behind the effects of social connection and he unpacks the research that shows that we are all better at being social than we might think.