The Impact of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Healthy Lifespan
A scientific study has revealed that loneliness and social isolation reduce human lifespan and the years spent in good health.
According to a comprehensive study published in the journal Nature Communications, loneliness and social isolation shorten healthy life expectancy and mental well-being by years.
Scope of the Research
As part of the research, data from more than 277,000 participants aged between 40 and 69 were examined in detail.
Individuals included in the study did not have major health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or dementia at the initial stage.
Physical and Mental Losses
For women experiencing loneliness and social isolation, the period free from physical illnesses decreases by an average of 2.4 years, and for men by 1.7 years.
The loss of time in terms of mental health reaches up to 3.7 years for women and 5.8 years for men.
Conceptual Differences
Social isolation means that an individual's relationships and contact with others are structurally limited.
Loneliness, on the other hand, is a negative emotional state that arises when a person feels unable to establish a meaningful connection with their environment.
Expert Assessments
Dr. Lu Qi, a faculty member at Tulane University and senior author of the study, emphasized that these two conditions directly affect disease-free life expectancy.
It was determined that healthy lifestyle habits reduce the negative effects of social isolation, but do not create a similar effect on loneliness.