Friendship can deeply affect the physical and mental health of both men and women. Studies show that people who have no friends or who are lonely, are more likely to die earlier, and get sick more often than those who have a support system of friends. Sometimes, family members may be more likely to give you advice or tell you what you don't want to hear. It may not be as good as a friend who will listen to you and guide you, but support your decisions anyway. One reason for the link between social support and good health practice seems to be that people who feel cared for by others are less stressed out and are protected against the symptoms of depression and loneliness. Generally, women benefit most because of how they deal with stress. Women are more social in how they deal with stress than men, while men are more likely to have a "fight or flight" reaction. Women also tend to have larger, denser social network, in which more people know each other and help each other, while men typically have smaller groups of friends and will rely on their wives or other important people for more support. While all these affect people psychologically, friendship brings comfort that reduces the ill effects of stress, and the sex difference also contributes to the difference in the length of one's life time.