Being
lonely can trigger cellular changes in your body that increase your chances of
getting ill and not living as long as you could have, according to a new study.
The risk
applies to older people, past research suggests.
A leading
charity for people over 60 in the United Kingdom says the findings underline
the importance of treating loneliness as a major health problem.
In the
new study, researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of
California found that loneliness can trigger the body's fight-or-flight
response, which can affect the production of white blood cells and eventually
undermine the immune system.
They
based their research on 141 older people enrolled in a U.S. study on ageing and
social relations, and on an examination of lonely rhesus macaque monkeys, a
highly social species of primates.
The
researchers say that, in essence, lonely people have a weaker immune system and higher levels of inflammation than people who aren't lonely.
Their health is also more vulnerable because they feel threatened.
The study
is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Contrary
to what many people think, loneliness is not a normal part of ageing, and it not
only makes life miserable, it can have a serious impact on your physical and mental health too,” says Caroline Abrahams,
charity director at Age UK.
“Research
shows that more than a million older people say they haven't spoken to a
friend, neighbour or family member for over a month, and unless we act, our
rapidly ageing population means we’ll see ever greater numbers of lonely older
people.
“...There
is something that everyone can do to help, even if it’s checking in on older neighbours, relatives, and friends over the festive season and year round,” she
says.
