Healthline: How Social Isolation, Loneliness Can Affect Heart Health, Cognitive Abilities

“Older adults who are lonely, socially isolated, or do not participate in engaging activities are at risk for heart attack, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a pair of studies released this week.

The first study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that social isolation and loneliness might increase the risk of either heart attack, stroke, or death. The data showed that being socially disconnected can increase the risk of heart attack by 29 percent and stroke by 32 percent. The researchers defined social isolation as having infrequent in-person contact and social relationships with different groups, such as friends, colleagues, family, and members of community groups, such as religious organizations.

People with three or fewer social contacts per month could have a 40 percent increased risk of recurrent heart attack or stroke, the researchers reported.

They noted that the risk of social isolation increases with age due to widowhood, retirement, and friends and family passing away. Social isolation affects nearly one-fourth of adults over 65 and estimates indicate that between 33 and 47 percent of older adults are lonely.

However, social isolation and loneliness are not limited to older adults. Generation Z, young adults between 18 and 22, is characterized as the loneliest generation. This might be because they engage in less meaningful in-person activities and use social media more than other generations.

The COVID-29 pandemic also increased social isolation in several groups, including people between 18 and 25, older adults, women, and low-income individuals.

The new study found that:

• Social isolation and loneliness are common but are under-recognized as contributing to cardiovascular and brain health.

• The lack of social connection is associated with an increased risk of premature death from all causes, especially among men.

• People who experience social isolation or loneliness are more likely to experience chronic stress and depression. Depression can also lead to social isolation.

• Social isolation in childhood is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, and increased blood glucose levels.

The researchers reported that people with a higher risk of social isolation and loneliness include:

• Those in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups

• People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)

• People with physical disabilities, including vision and hearing impairments

• People living in rural areas and areas with limited resources

• People with limited access to technology and the internet

• Recent immigrants

• Those incarcerated

Some Insights From This Article

• Social interaction is as important to our physical health as it is to our mental health. A new study showed that people, generally older people, were more prone to certain types of diseases and disorders when they were socially isolated.

• Additionally there are other caveats and circumstances that exacerbate these types of social isolation conditions and make these groups of people particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of social isolation.

Have you ever felt the negative effects of social isolation?

Full article is here!

#Isolation #Alzheimer’s #Health