When I was two and a half years old, my little sister was born. From the moment she came home from the hospital, she became “my baby.” When she would cry, I would run to my mom and inform her that “my baby” was hungry. As we grew, my sister became my best friend. We would play house, dolls, and school together. We would make each other laugh hysterically in the back seat of the car during road trips. I would terrorize her with ghost stories, and she would annoy me with her whining.
As teenagers, we were each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Yes, we had our fights, just like all siblings do. But she and I have always been close, and I have always been grateful for her.
Research has shown that sister relationships can play a meaningful role in emotional health and long-term well-being. From childhood through adulthood, sisters often provide unique support, connection, and stability. Below, we explore what science says about why having a sister can be so impactful.
Why Having a Sister Is the Best
Research and lived experience both suggest that sister relationships can positively influence mental health, emotional support, and long-term well-being.
Science Says Having a Sister Supports Mental Health
A 2010 study by Brigham Young University suggested that having a sister is beneficial for mental health.1 According to the study, having a sister protects teens from feeling lonely, unloved, guilty, self-conscious, and fearful. I vividly remember the painful teenage years. I was shy, awkward, and smart, and didn’t take crap from anyone. It made me a bit of a loner. Having my sister always in my corner made me feel that, no matter what anyone else thought, at least I had someone I could talk to. When I was a senior, and my sister was a freshman, I remember taking a typing class with her, and it was the best class of my entire high school career. She made things easier by simply being there.
Sibling Relationships in Adulthood and Well-Being
It makes sense that children and young adults would consider their siblings their best friends. However, that friendship doesn’t stop there for many people. One study found that nearly two-thirds of adults consider their siblings one of their closest friends.2 The literature on sibling relationships shows that during middle and old age, your well-being, including your mood, health, morale, stress, depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction, is tied to how you feel about your brothers and sisters.3 For Americans, who live longer than previous generations, your sibling may be your longest-lasting relationship. Naturally, the quality of that relationship will impact your well-being longer than you think.4
Related: Ways to Foster Sibling Relationships
Sharing Life’s Biggest Moments With a Sister
I have always known how special it is to have a sister in my life. But nothing has made me appreciate my sister more than growing up with her. My sister was by my side when I married my amazing husband. She laughed and cried with me throughout my special day. My sister was one of the first to be by my side after the births of my two children. She gladly took turns soothing and cuddling my colicky newborns, allowing me to get some much-needed rest during those first several months.
My sister was again by my side when I suddenly and unexpectedly lost my husband in 2017. She held me as I fell apart in her arms. She stayed with me for days to make sure I wasn’t alone. When I moved to be closer to her after he died, she “broke” into my new place to make sure I had a welcome basket to greet me.
Now, I live four blocks from my sister. Even now, she is by my side as I navigate the dating world as a middle-aged, single mom. She has held me, yet again, as I suffered my first dating heartbreak. Even though she is just as busy and frazzled with her own two kids as I am, she checks in on me and lets me know she’s there when I need her. She is a presence of comfort and love when I need it most. And she feeds me wine (or tequila on occasion) when she knows I need a drink. Sisters are brilliant like that.
Related: A Letter to My Sisters: Thank You for Being the Best Aunts
How My Sister Has Shaped the Person I Am
I know that she and I will continue to support each other throughout our lives. She and I will continue to uplift one another, comfort one another, and hold the other up when one of us can’t stand on our own two feet. We will inevitably suffer loss again together as we all age and begin losing our loved ones. We will also experience joy as we watch our children go out into the world and make amazing lives for themselves. My sister has been, and always will be, one of my most important and significant relationships. She helps make me who I am and encourages me to be better every day.
Even if science didn’t say it, I know that sisters can be a light in a dark place or a shelter in a storm. Even if there were no studies to prove it, those of us with sisters would emphatically agree that we wouldn’t know where we would be without them. I am glad that science is here to tell us about all these things. However, we who have sisters often feel that science is a little late to this party. We’ve known that sisters are the best for a while now, but thanks for confirming it!
