We never need another excuse to spend time with the women we love. However, there’s now actual scientific research which has confirmed something which we’ve long suspected: spending a certain amount of time with your friends doesn’t just boost our happiness, but our health, too.

We already know that having a tight network of female friendships can help us progress in our careers and that having a variety of friends from different walks of life brings a unique joy to our lives. But this new research hones in on exactly how much time we should be spending with our pals, to reap all of these benefits and more.

This is how often you should be seeing your best friend, according to science