New year’s resolutions? Add social fitness to the list

Did you know that social isolation and loneliness can be more harmful to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day? As we step into a new year, Dr. Troy Glover (PhD '00), professor and director of the Healthy Communities Research Network at the University of Waterloo, emphasizes why “social fitness” deserves a spot on your list of resolutions. 

Rates of social isolation and loneliness among Canadians have reached what experts call a crisis level. One promising way to address this growing concern is by building what Glover refers to as “social infrastructure”— the spaces, networks and institutions that help people connect meaningfully with one another.  

At a time when individuals are focusing their resolutions on their health, physical fitness, nutrition and better sleep, Glover shares that we need to think beyond the gym and the kitchen. “Social fitness,” he explains, is the intentional and proactive effort to engage in social interaction with other people. Just as we train our bodies for strength and endurance, we can — and should — train our social muscles. 

Glover warns against the rising trend of JOMO, or the “joy of missing out.” While opting for solitude might feel comforting, it often leads to hours spent on devices that dull the signals of loneliness rather than addressing them. This creates a paradox: people choose isolation over the proven health benefits of social interaction. “The best thing that people can do for their health and well-being in 2026 is to cultivate warm relationships of all kinds,” he says. 

Like physical fitness, social fitness requires practice and persistence. It's about challenging ourselves to connect, even when it feels uncomfortable. Glover acknowledges that for many, this can be daunting. “The reality is that more often than not, we tend to overestimate the negative response that we're going to receive, but research demonstrates that people are more open to connecting than we think.”

In other words, the more you make yourself vulnerable to connect with people, the less it becomes a social risk to you that you’re going to be rejected.  

Building social fitness doesn’t require grand gestures. It starts with small, intentional actions: spending more time with loved ones, joining in-person activities, chatting with neighbours, or even striking up a conversation with strangers. “I would encourage people to talk to everybody. We need to smile at people, we need to nod at them … acknowledge their existence. You will feel better talking to the cashier at the grocery store because your world enlarges when that happens,” Glover shares. 

In today’s digital age, where meaningful connections are fewer than ever before, it’s crucial to understand that loneliness is not a personal failure. It’s a societal challenge that we can overcome together by prioritizing social fitness. “People tend to show greater immunity and recover more quickly from illness when they have strong connections in their lives,” he says. “You’re less likely to die prematurely if you have people in your life.” 

Glover explains that everyone's social fitness will differ as one person might feel the need to connect with five people each month while for another, it might just be one person each month. 

Whatever your goals are for the year ahead, he reminds us that health isn't just about our bodies, it's also about our social connections. “Make 2026 the year you strengthen your social muscles,” he says. “Your well-being depends on it.”