Drinking with Your Friends Twice a Week is Necessary, According to a New Study

While some may see the chance to kick back with a couple of your friends and enjoy some cold ones as a luxury, it’s actually a necessity. Well, that’s according to a new study from the University of Oxford, which claims that it’s essential for men to go out with their male friends every week.

In fact, according to this report, men should go out twice a week in order to stay healthy.

The study, conducted by Robin Dunbar, a psychologist and director of Oxford University’s social and evolutionary neuroscience research group, determined that men must physically meet with four friends, two times a week, in order to reap the full benefits of male friendship.

Benefits of strong male friendships include a stronger immune system, the release of endorphins, an overall decrease in anxiety levels, and (apparently) even higher levels of generosity.

Dunbar goes so far as to recommend guys “do stuff” while they socialise, and that going bar crawling for a night reinforces a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

“Bonds can be formed through a range of activities from team sports to male banter — or simply having a pint with your pals on a Friday night,” Dunbar states.

According to the same study, most men get far less male bonding time than what they require. One in three men in the United Kingdom can’t find the time to meet with friends once a week, and 40% of men are only able to make a “guys’ night” a weekly affair.

Dunbar suggests that despite spending 20% of their day interacting through other means, men need to meet face to face to keep their friendships strong, and meeting for a few pints is the perfect way to achieve this.

Well, in the name of science, see you at the bar…