Four health consequences of loneliness

For many of us the feeling of loneliness is a temporary condition, perhaps caused by a change in life: like moving to another city or starting a new job. But for other people, loneliness is a way of life, which results from a lack of connection with others (even if they have friends and family). And, according to research, chronic loneliness can have adverse consequences for your health.

1- It can affect your brain in a similar way to physical pain – A study, found that feelings of loneliness trigger activity in the same regions of the brain that experience physical pain.

2 – May impair sleep – People who feel alone tend to experience more nighttime interruptions than those who don’t.

3 – May increase the risk of dementia – A study, involving nearly 2,200 elderly people living in Amsterdam, researchers found that those who reported feeling alone – regardless of the number of friends and family – were more likely to have dementia than those who lived alone.

4 – May contribute to premature death – Living alone – or just feeling lonely – can increase the risk of premature death.