How Loneliness Affects Our Body

Many people know the feeling of loneliness – more or less pronounced. But when social isolation becomes a permanent condition, it has negative consequences for our body.

What influence does loneliness have on our body?

Not only poets and writers have dealt extensively with the topic of “loneliness” in different eras, today’s science also pays attention to the phenomenon. Contrary to the mostly transfiguring words of the philosophers, experts today agree: Loneliness has serious, negative health effects on our body, which are not only of a mental nature.

Various studies have shown that isolation is associated with depression, sleep disorders and accelerated cognitive decline with age. But loneliness is also said to have a decisive influence on our physical condition. As a meta-study from the specialist magazine “Heart” shows, the phenomenon of social isolation increases the risks of strokes and heart attacks.

Is social isolation a risk?

In their metastudy, the scientists analyzed about 23 studies with more than 181,000 participants, among which there were 4,620 heart diseases and 3,000 strokes. The studies were conducted over a period of three to 21 years. The result of the British experts: Loneliness increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 19 percent and increases the risk of stroke by 32 percent.

“We have a correlation between poor social relationships and cardiovascular disease that is comparable to other psychosocial risk factors such as anxiety or workload,” the authors write in the magazine, adding: “Our study suggests that the inclusion of loneliness and social isolation may play an important role in the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

Where is the real evil?

It remains unclear to what extent illness and loneliness are caused by each other. According to this, it could well be that the concomitant symptoms of social isolation, such as smoking, alcohol, unhealthy food and little exercise, are the reasons for an increased risk. Conversely, the associated symptoms, obesity or depression, could be responsible for someone being isolated. Either way, it is always good advice to make contacts and do something about your loneliness.