It’s difficult to imagine feeling alone in today’s world. With social media, texting and virtual … everything … getting any quality alone time is more difficult than ever. Yet many people seem to feel less connected with the people and the world around them. For these people, loneliness can become a way of life. (Just remember that it’s never too late to change things up! You’ll find my recommendations for banishing loneliness further down the page!)
Long-term loneliness can affect more than just your mood. It can become detrimental to your physical health. Here are some of the ways that loneliness affects your body.
Sleep deprivation.
When you’re lonely, you might spend a lot more time in bed, but you’re probably not sleeping well. Lonely people tend to experience insomnia and frequent sleep disruptions.
Increased risk of dementia.
You can be surrounded by people but still feel lonely if you’re not making genuine connections. Studies have shown that lonely people are at a higher risk for dementia than those who live alone but have strong personal relationships.
Inflammation.
Those suffering from chronic loneliness are more likely to have an overexpression of genes connected to cells that produce an inflammatory response. While short-term inflammation is usually not a major concern, inflammation that sticks around can increase your risk for heart disease and cancer.
Weight gain.
When you’re lonely, you try to fill the void created by the lack of human connection. One of the most common ways people do this is with food. Think of all the movies you’ve seen where the depressed and broken-hearted character binges on ice cream, chocolate, pizza, pasta … whatever comfort foods are in reach! It fills a void, but jeopardizes your health in the process. This is a slippery slope and can lead to serious issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
We all feel lonely at times. That’s perfectly normal. But when it becomes a constant in our lives, it’s important to do what we can to combat it so that it doesn’t affect our physical well-being. If you’re feeling lonely, you have the power to take action and send those feelings packing. It’s all up to you! It might require you to put yourself out there (and outside of your comfort zone), but I know you can do it! Below are my tips for keeping loneliness at a distance.
Remember to make healthy living a part of every day!
The light in me honors the light in you. Namaste.
Dr. Nandi
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Source: Dr. Nandi