A friend by your side really can turn mountains into molehills

London, June 16 : It is rightly said, "a friend is a hand that is always holding yours," a new study has shown that having a friend by your side can certainly turn mountain-like hurdles into molehills.

The new study suggests that with the support of friends, bigger problems appear smaller, and an individual can easily scale through the hurdles.

In the research conducted by Simone Schnall at the University of Plymouth, UK, students were asked to estimate the steepness of a hill by tilting a board to match its slope.

They found that students with a friend nearby assessed the hill at 10 to 15 per cent less steep compared with those who were alone during the test, reports New Scientist

Longer the friends had known each other and the warmer their relationship would have been, the less steep the hill appeared to them.

Moreover, just thinking about a close friend or family member could make the hill look to 20 per cent gentler.

ANI