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What Is Social Snacking? Plus, Psychiatrist Tips To Fill Your Social Cup

Author:

Hannah Frye

March 05, 2024

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

By Hannah Frye

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

Image by Flamingo Images / Stocksy

March 05, 2024

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We know that community is a significant pillar of longevity. Just ask people in the Blue Zones, or the geographical areas where more people live to 100 than anywhere else. In these longevity hot spots, multigenerational households and tight neighbor relationships are to be expected. But if you're living a more isolated lifestyle, as most of us are, not having those tiny, daily interactions can take a toll on your mental health.

So what can you do to get more daily doses of community? According to board-certified psychiatrist Sue Varma, M.D., author of Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being, your best bet is to look toward unexpected places. Below, discover the "social snacking" advice she shared on a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast.

What is social snacking?

By social snacking, Varma refers to micro-connections, or tiny interactions you experience throughout the day.

"It can be superficial; it can be fluff. It's the grocery store clerk that you say hello to, and they set aside something for you because they're thinking of you," she explains. "Those are more superficial but still meaningful connections."

Now, this doesn't mean you have to abandon the mission to build closer relationships—it's certainly not advised to trade quality for quantity. But these social snacks can help check your smaller communication boxes throughout the day, making you feel just a bit brighter and building community while you're at it.

In fact, research even shows 1 that people who have more conversations with strangers tend to be happier. So if you needed a science-backed reason to chat with your neighbor, well, here it is.

How to get more social snacks

While you may already engage in social snacking without even realizing, a few reminders can't hurt. Below, some quick socializing tips to take with you:

Say hello to your barista and ask how they're doing
Introduce yourself to your neighbors, or host a group gathering
Invite over some friends you haven't spoken to in a while
Ask your colleagues if they have any fun plans for the weekend
Grab a quick coffee with a colleague, friend, or family member

As you can see, social snacks can be quick and lighthearted. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but like any well-being ritual, it takes practice: The more you do it, the more of a habit it will become. Who knows? You may just inspire someone else to strike up a social snack of their own later in the day.

The takeaway

While you shouldn't trade quality relationships for quantity, investing just a bit more time in smaller social snacks can help to fill your daily cup. After all, healthy relationships and community building are core values of the longest-living populations, so it's a multi-beneficial endeavor without a doubt. For more longevity-feeding mental health practices, don't forget to tune into Varma's episode below: