GOOD NEWS: There's scientific proof that taking a girls' trip is actually good for you.

Get ready to pack your bags – we’ve got good news.

According to a new study, it turns out taking a girls’ trip is actually amazing for your health.

Yep, you read that right, you finally have another good excuse to book a girls’ weekend.

As reported in Southern Living, spending the weekend with your closest girlfriends can seriously improve your physical and mental wellbeing.

These are the celebrity friends you might not have known about.

Not only can friendships extend our life expectancy, they can also help us gain a higher pain tolerance and even cut down the risk of heart disease.

Not only that, travelling and spending time with girlfriends can also boost the amount of oxytocin (also known as the “love hormone”) in our bodies, boosting self esteem, positivity and overall happiness.

The research goes both ways however. According to previous studies, women who don’t have close friendships are more likely to experience depression and are even more likely to have a shorter lifespan.

A previous Harvard study backed up the new claims – they found that having strong friendships can impact our health just as much as having good sleep can.

“Social connections like these not only give us pleasure, they also influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet and not smoking,” the study found.

“Dozens of studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community are happier, have fewer health problems and live longer.”

There is one in every friendship group. So what is a Nicole? And how do you spot her? The Outlouders discuss…

Psychologist William Chopik from Michigan State University also found that friendships have a massive influence on health and happiness in adults.

In fact, according to Chopik, friendships have a higher impact on health and happiness than familial relationships do.

“Keeping a few really good friends around can make a world of difference for our health and wellbeing,” he explained.

“So it’s smart to invest in the friendships that make you happiest.”

Now go forth and book that girls trip.

After all, it’s good for you.