Back in balance

Doesn't it feel great to talk with a girlfriend? Now, a recent study published in the US journal Hormones and Behaviour shows that, in addition to being lots of fun, a chat-fest can increase levels of your progesterone. This hard-working, stress-reducing hormone helps to regulate your period; is linked to fertility and bone, thyroid and skin health; boosts the immune system; and maintains your sex drive, too.

To prove that time with pals truly can be good for your mind and body, researchers grouped women into pairs and gave them tasks that either limited or encouraged their interaction. When women were able to chat and reveal details about themselves, they experienced increased levels of progesterone in their saliva.

“There’s something tangible about relationships we form with others,” says social psychologist Stephanie Brown from New York’s Stony Brook University. “It may be important to prioritise our female friendships more than we do.”

Psychiatrist Dr Roger Rampling from Alberta, Canada, says progesterone helps women “feel more balanced, more relaxed, less irritable and better able to sleep”.

So if you’ve been feeling out of touch with old mates, make a date for lunch or a walk, or just pick up the phone – for a happier mind and a healthier body.