Hello neighbors, goodbye unwellness: Adults who greet neighbors have better well-being, new poll says
Greeting several neighbors indicates higher well-being in one’s life when compared to those who greet fewer or no neighbors, according to a Gallup poll released on Tuesday.
Dan Witters, research director for the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, told CNN that “the sweet spot as far as well-being is concerned, is six greetings.”
The poll said, “No meaningful increase in well-being is seen for additional neighbors greeted beyond six.”
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Poll details
According to Gallup, the poll was based on survey results from more than 4,500 U.S. adults in a nationally representative panel and was calculated using the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, “where zero represents the lowest possible well-being and 100 represents the highest.”
Based on the index, well-being is comprised of five elements that were considered in the study:
Career well-being.
Social well-being.
Financial well-being.
Physical well-being.
Community well-being.
For those who greeted six neighbors regularly, their well-being index score was 64, compared to the 51.5 score for those who interacted with no neighbors.
When asked about how to define a greeting, Witters told CNN that “We don’t require that you know the person well, stop and chat, or even that you know their name,” adding that the more people you wave to, the more likely you will be to carry on a conversation eventually.
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Age was a dominant factor in the study, with adults under 30 saying hello to about 3 neighbors on average compared to adults aged 65 or older, who interact with 6.5 neighbors.
“About one in seven among those under 30 (14%) greet six or more neighbors, compared with 41% of those aged 65 and older,” the poll said.
Witters said, “That’s likely associated with financial well-being and urban density — young people are much more likely to live in the inner cities in a high-rise apartment or condo,” and, “Oftentimes you don’t even know who your neighbors are, let alone saying hi to one,” per CNN.
What are others ways to boost well-being?
The National Health Service lists five steps to improve mental well-being, which include connecting with others, being physically active and being mindful or “present in the moment.”
The Deseret News has previously reported on how spirituality can boost well-being.
Howard Koh, the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership at Harvard T.H. Chan School, said that, “Integrating spirituality into care can help each person have a better chance of reaching complete well-being and their highest attainable standard of health,” per the Deseret News.
