There are more and more studies raising alarms about the impact of being lonely on our health. And the conclusions of those studies really shocked me so I decided to summarize and share this research in this blog.
But first of all, how did they define loneliness?
Loneliness is the cognitive discomfort or uneasiness of being or perceiving oneself to be alone, according to the American Psychological Association. It’s the emotional distress we feel when our inherent needs for intimacy (not necessarily sexual in nature) and connection aren’t met.
Loneliness causes people to feel empty, alone, and unwanted. People who are lonely often crave human contact, but their state of mind makes it more difficult to form connections with others.
It can bubble up as either an objective or subjective state. You could be objectively alone and crave companionship, or you could be in a crowded room and still feel alone in the world (the feeling of being alone). How many of us can say they did not feel this way at one point in their lives?…
Loneliness vs. Solitude
While research clearly shows that loneliness and isolation are bad for both mental and physical health, being alone is not the same as being lonely. In fact, solitude actually has a number of important mental health benefits, including allowing people to better focus and recharge.
- Loneliness is marked by feelings of isolation despite wanting social connections. It is often perceived as an involuntary separation, rejection, or abandonment by other people.
- Solitude, on the other hand, is voluntary. People who enjoy spending time by themselves continue to maintain positive social relationships that they can return to when they crave connection. They still spend time with others, but these interactions are balanced with periods of time alone.
So, this is what it was discovered studying loneliness:
- Loneliness May Lead to Poor Health Habits
Evidence suggests people who feel lonelier may engage in more unhealthy behaviors compared with people who feel more socially connected. Research suggests single or widowed seniors eat fewer vegetables and fruits than their peers who are married or cohabitating. Other research found that people who are lonely were significantly less likely to exercise than people who felt less lonely.
- Loneliness May Interfere with Sleep
Loneliness has been linked to insufficient sleep among older adults. Loneliness has also been linked to fragmented sleep, or more disrupted sleep. Researchers have suggested that we need to feel secure in our surroundings for a genuinely restful night’s sleep.
- Loneliness May Increase Risk of Depression
Loneliness is a major risk factor for developing depression, with many symptoms overlapping (like experiencing feelings of pain and helplessness). In a study published in January 2021 in The Lancet Psychiatry, researchers concluded that loneliness increases the risk of depression, but that depression does not necessarily increase loneliness.
- Loneliness May Trigger Chronic Inflammation
Inflammation is part of how our immune systems kick into action to protect us against harm or disease, or heal. Chronic inflammation is this process gone awry. The body continues to send distress signals even though there’s no injury or danger. This type of chronic inflammation causes chronic health problems, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.
- Chronic Loneliness Increases Dementia Risk
Adults who report greater feelings of loneliness are at a 40 percent increased risk of developing dementia and other cognitive impairments. Study participants were 50 and older. They completed surveys to measure loneliness and completed cognitive tests every two years over the course of a decade. The doctors say that people who were lonely had risk factors for diabetes, hypertension, depression, and other concerns, but even after adjusting for those shared risks, loneliness still predicted increased risk of dementia. There’s something about connecting with other people, having a reason to get up in the morning to engage with the world that protects the brain. It’s about keeping the brain active and, on its toes.
- Loneliness Is Bad for Your Heart
Loneliness has been tied to a 29 percent increased risk of heart attack and a 32 percent increased risk of having a stroke, according to a meta-analysis published in April 2016 in the journal Heart. Previous research has also suggested that loneliness increases blood pressure.
- Loneliness May Shorten Your Life
Ultimately, loneliness takes a grave toll on our health, with research suggesting that both living alone and feeling subjective loneliness increases risk of premature death by 29 and 26 percent. These findings stem from a meta-analysis that involved over 3.4 million participants, which was led by Holt-Lunstad and published in March 2015.
So, to summarize all these points, the conclusion of the authors all the majorities of these studies was this:
Loneliness can leave people feeling isolated and disconnected from others. It is a complex state of mind that can be caused by life changes, mental health conditions, poor self-esteem, and personality traits. Loneliness can also have serious health consequences including decreased mental wellness and physical problems.
Tips to Prevent and Overcome Loneliness
Loneliness can be overcome. It does require a conscious effort to make a change. In the long run, making a change can make you happier, healthier, and enable you to impact others around you in a positive way.
Here are some ways to prevent loneliness:
Consider community service or another activity that you enjoy. These situations present great opportunities to meet people and cultivate new friendships and social interactions.
- Expect the best. Try to stay positive. Lonely people often expect rejection, so instead, try focusing on positive thoughts and attitudes in your social relationships.
- Focus on developing quality relationships. Seek people who share similar attitudes, interests, and values with you. Experts believe that it is not the quantity of social interaction that combats loneliness, but the quality.
- Recognize that loneliness is a sign that something needs to change. Don’t expect things to change overnight, but you can start taking steps that will help relieve your feelings of loneliness and build connections that support your well-being.
- Understand the effects of loneliness on your life. There are physical and mental repercussions to loneliness. If you recognize some of these symptoms affecting how you feel, make a conscious effort to combat them.
- Join a group or start your own. For example, you might try creating a group where people from your area with similar interests can get together. You might also consider taking a class at a community college, joining a book club, or taking an exercise class.
- Strengthen a current relationship. Building new connections is important, but improving your existing relationships can also be a great way to combat loneliness. Try calling a friend or family member you have spoken to in a while.
- Talk to someone you can trust. Reaching out to someone in your life to talk about what you are feeling is important. This can be someone you know such as a family member, but you might also consider talking to your doctor (we can help too) or a therapist.