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Take Control of Your Health
Mercola: The Physical Toll of Loneliness
by Joseph Mercola, D.O.
Dr. Joseph Mercola
of Mercola.com
Feelings of loneliness are incredibly common and, ironically, even as the physical distance between people has shrunk, emotional “isolation” is on the rise.
Up to one-quarter of Americans say they are frequently lonely, and this number is expected to rise in coming years. Loneliness expert John Cacioppo, a social neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, credits the rising rates of loneliness to two major factors: longer lifespans leading to more years in widowhood and a rise in single-person households.
How Loneliness Harms Your Health
Negative emotions will invariably impact your physical well-being, and loneliness is no different. The latest research reveals that feeling lonely raises your blood pressure up to 14 points, with greater increases coming the more years the lonely feelings persist.
This is far from the only study linking loneliness to health repercussions. A separate study found the risk of developing dementia increased about 51 percent for each one-point increase on a loneliness scale. Other studies have also shown that being socially isolated can weaken your immune system and result in sleep dysfunctions.
Tips for Overcoming Loneliness
It is completely natural to crave companionship. You are a social creature who thrives on social support and meaningful personal relationships. That said, the road to overcoming loneliness is twofold: create more fulfilling social ties and learn to enjoy your alone time.
For the latter, I suggest putting some attention on your emotional energy. It is likely that you need to let go of some of your limiting beliefs, stress, and also your past emotional “baggage,” all of which may be keeping you in a lonely emotional state.
Now, once you are feeling secure with yourself, it’s time to devote some attention to creating new relationships. This doesn’t have to be as daunting as it may sound, no matter what stage of life you are in. I recommend:
- Exploring new hobbies and interests that ignite your natural curiosity and passions. Deep friendships naturally form among people with similar interests.
- Volunteering or joining a club or organization in your area. Book clubs, adult sports leagues, holistic moms groups, even food co-ops can all lead to new relationships.
- Making an effort to re-establish old relationships and cultivate new ones. This could be with family you’ve lost touch with, friends from college, or a new neighbor across the street. The Internet is also an increasingly popular way to meet new people!
