Remember the times of just hanging out with friends, maybe in a basement – like the kids from “That ’70s Show.” Today, just “hanging out” is no longer the norm, and it’s not only noteworthy for inspiring future sitcoms; it’s also impacting our health.

In 2023, the U.S. surgeon general released a report titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” detailing how loneliness is plaguing the country.

According to Dr. Sarah Fischer, a psychologist at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, loneliness can be worse for individuals than moderate smoking.

“So, the stress of loneliness can impact your body in a myriad of ways,” Dr. Fischer said. “Stress in general, it can impact your cardiovascular system, your immune system, your digestive system. It can have cognitive effects, right? Can make your blood pressure go up. And so, stress itself has all these different health effects. But then if we’re feeling lonely or we don’t have social support, that will also impact our behavior and our access to certain things.”

Multiple factors contribute to loneliness, including relationships, community and society. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans were already on a path to loneliness and isolation due to cellphones, technology and social media.

During the pandemic, reliance on technology accelerated. People found new norms for communicating in their professional and personal lives. However, relying solely on shallow forms of online socialization is not enough. In-person contact with other humans is crucial.

“If you can imagine a day at the office, right?” Dr. Fischer said. “If you were in-person, you would come in, kind of put your stuff down. You go to the break room to make your coffee, you run into people on the way. You chat about random stuff that’s kind of meaningless. And you know you have meetings and then after the meeting, you kind of hang back and you talk about your kids and your pets or whatever you want to talk about and it’s those pieces that we’re missing when we’re purely virtual.”

In-person contact is especially beneficial for young adults – who get a lot of socialization on their devices without actual social connection.

“A lot of social media is about comparison,” Dr. Fischer said. “And whichever way it goes, it’s really damaging. So, it can go the direction in which you would expect which is trying to upscale each other, right? so, who has the cutest kids or who’s skinniest or who has the coolest vacation, you know? Like trying to one up each other a little bit overtime and try to portray yourself in the best way.”

According to Professor Sheila Liming, author of “Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time,” even if a person does nothing while hanging out with other people, it ends up being beneficial for everyone involved.

“So I would say if that’s something that someone is trying to get better at or trying to do, it starts with realizing that that time is not wasteful,” Liming said. “Think about what exactly you get out of it. It might not seem valued or productive in a quantifiable sense, but also realize that it is mutual. It’s a two-way street. You’re not only benefiting in the moment, but you’re also contributing to someone else’s well-being.”

By hanging out with others, people gain social connection and interaction, even if they are doing “nothing.” Liming emphasized that a person’s ability to develop and maintain social connections is directly linked to their ability to create happiness for themself. Relationships significantly impact a person’s happiness.

For over 85 years, the Harvard Grant Study investigated what makes people happy. Researcher Robert Waldinger found that one’s relationships and how happy they are in them have a powerful influence on their health.

Dr. Fischer recommended addressing barriers that may prevent people from forming healthy relationships. If someone needs a starting point, consider their interests. Are they into concerts, game nights or art shows?

“Find a group that meets up for those interests,” Dr. Fischer said. “Facebook has opportunities where they have in-person groups.”

However, Fischer warns not not to get too caught up in internet culture. It is not real social connection, it is not truly hanging out and it cannot replace in-person contact.

“True social connection is about two people, or a group of people, talking to each other,” Dr. Fischer said. “Sharing interests, stories, and history. It’s not about comparison or self-image. It’s about pure connection.”