Be Healthy And Be A Bar Regular

Can being a regular at a local bar be good for you?  Yes according to a recent study from the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford (yes, that Oxford).  The study, titled “Friends On Tap,”  discusses the social benefits of going to a bar.

As the authors astutely note: “Making and maintaining friendships, however, is something that has to be done face-to-face. The digital world is simply no substitute.”  I couldn’t agree more.  If nothing else, a bar forces you to engage in the wonderful art of conversation.

To read a short article about the study, click here.  If you’re a psychologist and/or you really want to read the source material, click here to read the study.

Although “Friends on Tap” focuses on pubs and beer, the concept also applies to cocktail dens. My wife and I have been regulars at a neighborhood bar for many years.  We met many our close friends there, and we almost always meet fascinating people.

So go to a neighborhood bar, put down your smartphone, and speak with the person next to you.   Don’t just take my word for it.  Take the word of a bunch of really smart British psychologists.