Send This to Your Sister: Science Says She Might Be Your Best Health Hack

There’s a reason the internet keeps calling female friendships “girlfriend medicine.” As Dr. Sara Szal explains on Treated with Dr. Sara, these friendships “activate oxytocin, the hormone of love and bonding.” That rush of feel-good chemistry doesn’t just lift your mood—it calms your nervous system and lowers stress hormones. 

In other words, sisterhood isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a legit wellness strategy.

Dr. Sara on the healing power of sister bonds

When Dr. Sara invites her younger sister, Anna Reid, on her show, the doctor gets candid about why sibling connection is her go-to wellness tool. “You’re my touchstone. You’re my sounding board…the person that I call when I’m troubled about something,” Dr. Sara reveals. 

That emotional safety net became crucial during career pivots, menopause symptoms, and life’s general chaos. Dr. Sara sums it up perfectly, “Behind every woman who is speaking her truth, there’s a tribe of women, and you are my tribe.”

Advocate for your health

Reid credits sisterhood for more than moral support—she says it saved her body. After years of pelvic pain, she remembered her big sister’s advice: “You must advocate for your health.” Armed with Dr. Sara’s advice, Reid demanded the hysterectomy that finally ended the agony of endometriosis and fibroids. Her takeaway? Your sisters—biological or chosen—can push you to fight for the care you deserve.

Don’t have a blood sibling? Here’s how to build your own sister circle

Not everyone is born with a built-in bestie, but Dr. Sara and Reid say you can absolutely cultivate one:

• Start a group text that never ends. Reid swears by the massive group chat with her college sorority sisters that started during the pandemic and never stopped. Those daily pings became micro-doses of joy and connection.
• Share the messy, real stuff. As Reid puts it, “When you are going through stuff, you need to connect with others and you need to give it away,” Reid explains. Venting releases emotional pressure and opens the door for support.
• Work out together. Whether it’s garage sessions or Pilates classes, exercising toggether doubles as bonding time and natural mood boosters.
• Say no, guilt-free. Protecting your energy is essential to maintaining a healthy sisterhood. Reid’s rule: Decline any invite that drains instead of delights.

Sisterhood as medicine

Dr. Sara and her sister prove the science—and soul—of sisterhood. Community lowers cortisol, strengthens your ability to advocate for yourself, and provides the unconditional support we all need to thrive. As Reid reminds us, “We need to come together and support each other and [know] that there’s ways that you can navigate this and feel like your best self.”

So go ahead and text your ride-or-die, schedule that coffee date, or start a group chat. Your health and happiness glow-up might be only one sisterly text message away.

Read next: Raven Ross Is Breaking Every Rule in the Pilates World