Most people, at some point in their lives, experience loneliness. However, this usually occurs only for short periods of time.

One example is the student who moves away to college for their first semester. They feel lonely at first, but quickly make new friendships and connections at school.

Sadly, though, some people struggle with chronic loneliness—feeling disconnected for a long time. This lack of connection of any kind with other people not only makes them more susceptible to depression but other chronic health issues as well.

If you are struggling with feeling disconnected, here’s how it might affect your health.

1. Chronic Loneliness Can Lead to a Lack of Sleep

One way that feeling disconnected from others impacts your health is through your sleep—or the lack thereof.

Getting a good night’s rest is so important for both your physical and mental health. It’s when your body takes the time to repair itself and recharge. And it’s also very important for brain health. But those who experience chronic loneliness typically have trouble getting a good night’s rest.

What’s critical to understand here is the perception of whether someone has connections with others versus reality. In one study, participants still had relationships with family members or other people. Yet, if someone felt lonely in spite of that, their sleep issues still persisted. And that’s a problem because lack of sleep contributes to depression.

2. Feeling Disconnected Literally Hurts

Research has found that lack of connection affects areas of the brain that respond to physical pain. It actually hurts to be lonely!

According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN, the reason why this happens is connected to our survival instincts. Being removed from other people meant also being deprived of the resources necessary for survival, such as food or protection. He notes that those feeling chronically lonely experience higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

3. Chronic Loneliness and Dementia Are Linked

One study published in 2012 found that older people who experienced chronic loneliness also had a greater chance of having dementia. The study examined 2,200 people from Amsterdam who ranged in ages between 65-86 years old. Even with factoring in age, the study found that loneliness increased one’s chances of having dementia by 64%.

However, it’s important to note that the study did not prove that loneliness directly caused dementia.

4. Feeling Disconnected Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Inflammation

One study that involved 45,000 people who were 45 years old or older found that those who were lonely were at a greater risk for heart disease. Also, people who lived by themselves had a higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke than those who had strong relationship connections.

Interestingly, there may be a genetic link between physical illnesses and loneliness. Those who feel disconnected have more genes that are responsible for inflammation in the body. And inflammation, over an extended period of time, can cause both cancer and heart disease.

How to Push Back Against Chronic Loneliness

To address these health issues and combat chronic loneliness, it’s important to have strong relationship bonds with other people. There are many ways to achieve this.

For example:

• Regularly visiting with family or friends, either in person or through video chat and phone calls
• Joining groups organizations that align with your values
• Participating in group exercise classes
• Volunteering

When you feel connected to others, you feel less lonely. This is really important, especially if you struggle with depression. However, aside from building connections, it may be that you also need professional help from a therapist who understands how to treat depression.

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Feeling disconnected is such a terrible burden. Research shows that loneliness and lack of connection with others can have a significant impact on your body and mind. In the long-run, loneliness can even lead to depression.

However, you can do something about loneliness by building and maintaining strong relationships. If you are struggling to do this or you believe you’re suffering from depression, please contact me to find out how depression treatment can help.