Your Cart is Empty
Being alone isn't necessarily harmful, but feeling lonely may be. According to a new study, older adults who experience persistent loneliness may face a faster decline in both cognitive and physical health. The researchers found that loneliness remained strongly linked to poorer brain health and an increased risk of early death, regardless of how socially isolated a person was.
To examine the long-term effects of loneliness and social isolation, researchers used advanced statistical modeling on data from more than 175,000 adults ages 50 and older in 18 countries. Participants answered questions about how often they felt lonely and how frequently they had contact with other people. Their medical records were then used to monitor changes in cognitive health over time, including progression from normal cognition to severe impairment, as well as mortality.
Researchers found that older adults who felt lonely were more likely to experience cognitive impairment and die earlier, regardless of how socially isolated they were. Social isolation alone was not consistently associated with cognitive decline and had only a weak relationship with mortality.
As feelings of loneliness increased, so did the risk of cognitive decline. Every 10% increase in reported loneliness was associated with an 8% to 9% greater likelihood of developing severe cognitive impairment or progressing from normal cognition to mild impairment. People who reported feeling lonelier were also 3% less likely to recover from mild cognitive impairment, highlighting the potential importance of addressing loneliness.
The results indicate that loneliness may be both an early sign of cognitive impairment and a factor that contributes to its progression. Older adults who reported greater loneliness were more likely to advance to more severe stages of cognitive decline and less likely to recover from mild impairment.
Addressing loneliness may benefit both individuals and society. Reducing feelings of loneliness could help lessen cognitive decline and potentially reduce the costs of caring for people with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment. For those worried about maintaining their brain health, staying connected with family, friends, neighbors, and community groups may be a simple but valuable step.
To view the original scientific study click below:
Is My Loneliness Killing Me? Effects of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Transitions Between Cognitive Status Categories and Death
Imagine being able to preserve your healthiest blood stem cells while you're young, then using them decades later to help rejuvenate your body. New research in mice suggests it may one day be possible to restore a more youthful blood-forming system and immune system by transplanting young stem cells later in life.
The gut microbiome is the community of trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses that primarily live in the colon. These tiny organisms help digest food while producing compounds that can influence many aspects of both physical and mental health. Researchers have uncovered a link between specific gut bacteria and biological aging, adding to growing evidence that the gut microbiome may affect how we age.
Many of us spend hours sitting each day without giving it much thought. But research suggests that long, uninterrupted periods of sitting may do more than slow your metabolism. They could also increase your risk of dying from cancer. Now, a new study suggests it's not just how much you sit that matters, but how often you get up and move.