Respecting The Sesh With Your Mates Is Good For You, Say Psychologists

Good news, everyone! No matter what your girlfriend/boyfriend/mum thinks, going out on the piss is finally good for you.

Well, sort of, but at least there's finally some evidence that you can offer as an argument for respecting the sesh.

So with the Christmas season approaching you have got (yet another) reason to be in the pub with the LADs - at least until half of them pack it in for January and go to the gym or something.

Psychologists from the University of Oxford - so you know it's gotta be true - did some research and have decided that men's mental health is greatly improved by socialising with their mates in the pub twice a week.

That's not a free pass to get hammered all the time, after all, there's always a catch, but the social effects of physically meeting your mates made men less anxious, less likely to get ill, and released endorphins.

Prince Charles enjoys a pint. (Credit: PA)

It also, oddly enough, found that it made men more generous (Get 'em in then?).

Robin Dunbar, the director of the Social and Evolutionary Neuroscience Group at Oxford, said: "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.

"However, the key to maintaining strong friendships is to meet up twice a week and do stuff with the four people closest to you.

"Our social networks provide us with the single most important buffer against mental and physical illness. While pubs traditionally have a role as a place for community socialising, alcohol's role appears to be in triggering the endorphin system, which promotes social bonding.

"Like other complex bonding systems such as dancing, singing and storytelling, it has often been adopted by large social communities as a ritual associated with bonding."

Sadly, the researchers discovered that one in three men in the UK doesn't find the time to meet up with their friends even once a week, 40% said that they managed to get out once a week.

Credit: PA

So, to re-cap, you should be going to the pub twice a week with your mates and even go on a pub crawl If you like, as it develops a sense of teamwork and camaraderie between groups of men.

So the next time your mate tries to wimp out of going to the pub with you on a Friday night (I'm looking at you, James) tell him his health, and your health could be at risk.

The more pub time you're allowed, the happier you'll be. I'll drink to that. Thanks, science.

'U OK M8?' is an initiative from LADbible in partnership with a range of mental health charities which features a series of films and stories to raise awareness of mental health.

Explore more here and don't suffer in silence. Reach out. It's the brave thing to do.

MIND: 0300 123 3393.

Samaritans: 116 123.

CALM: Outside London 0808 802 5858, inside London 0800 58 58 58.

Mental Health Foundation

Topics: UK News, Mental Health, Drinking, Beer, Pub

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie