Ditch the Club and Hit the Pub
The secret to happiness is apparently being a regular at a bar
2.3.2016
It’s official – it’s good for you to live near a bar, and to go there often.
According to a new study published last week from Oxford University, people who enjoy a drink or two at a local bar (or pub) are “significantly” happier, have more friends, are satisfied more with life, and are less likely to drink too much. Score.
The report was carried out for the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), so the results come as no surprise. But a lot of the information from the study makes sense. Researchers looked at pubs in Oxfordshire, England and found that those who lived closest to a bar were more personable and had better social skills than those who lived farther away.
The drinking culture in the U.K. is quite different than here in the United States. For example, it’s socially acceptable to go to a pub after work with your boss. But alcohol’s effects are universal. Not to mention the fact that the U.S. has a lot of dive bars that give off a pub-like feel.
According to Professor Robin Dunbar, the study’s head author, the friendships and community you create from drinking regularly at your local bar – rather than the conversations you have over Facebook Messenger – are good for your health and wellness. In other words, the more people you know, and the more often you see them, the better you feel and the healthier you are.
"Making and maintaining friendships […] is something that has to be done face-to-face,” writes Dunbar. “The digital world is simply no substitute. Having relaxed accessible venues where people can meet old friends and make new ones becomes ever more necessary."
The study also revealed that people become friendlier after having a drink – who would have thought? “Most social skills, such as approachability and trustworthiness, improve initially after a drink,” writes Dunbar. Researchers noted that in small bars and pubs people were more likely to be engaged in conversations and bond with other drinking companions than at large clubs or grungy bars pumping electronic dance music.
And there you have it, folks. Go out and enjoy a few drinks with your friends at the bar just around the corner – you might make a few new friends and get closer to the ones you already have as a result. Cheers to that!
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