During the COVID-19 crisis, all of our lives have been disrupted. We’re not connecting with family, friends and colleagues like we used to, and it’s easy to feel lonely. To help some of the people I was coaching, I wrote down eight ways to combat this feeling and tested them on our business clients, executives,… Continue reading How to Combat Loneliness, Especially Now
Tag: loneliness
Five Things You Should Know about Stress
Everyone feels stressed from time to time, but what is stress? How does it affect your overall health? And what can you do to manage your stress? Stress is how the brain and body respond to any demand. Any type of challenge—such as performance at work or school, a significant life change, or a traumatic… Continue reading Five Things You Should Know about Stress
Serious Loneliness Spans the Adult Lifespan but There Is a Silver Lining
In recent years, public health officials have warned about a rising epidemic of loneliness, with rates of loneliness reportedly doubling over the past 50 years. In a new study, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine put a specific, concerning and surprising face to the issue. Publishing in the December 18 2018… Continue reading Serious Loneliness Spans the Adult Lifespan but There Is a Silver Lining
Loneliness Increases the Risk of Dementia
A 2018 Florida State University College of Medicine study involving data from 12,000 participants collected over 10 years confirms the heavy toll that loneliness can take on your health: It increases your risk of dementia by 40 percent. The risk is across the board, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or education — or whether you… Continue reading Loneliness Increases the Risk of Dementia
Social Media Buffers Depression Among Older Adults with Pain
With a few finger strokes or swipes on a computer or cell phone, seniors with pain reduce the risk of depression when visiting social media sites. That is the finding of a 2018 University of Michigan study published in the Journals of Gerontology, Series B. A release from the univerisyt notes that the researchers reported… Continue reading Social Media Buffers Depression Among Older Adults with Pain
Loneliness: Understanding and Beating the Hidden Health Risk
Editor’s note: A new study reveals loneliness at epidemic levels, with almost half of Americans missing meaningful in-person daily interactions, such as having an extended conversation with a friend or spending quality time with family. Loneliness can actually be life-threatening, notes veteran holistic physician Dr. Bradley Nelson, author of the bestselling book The Emotion Code.… Continue reading Loneliness: Understanding and Beating the Hidden Health Risk
Volunteering 2 Hours Per Week Reduces Loneliness in Widowed Older Adults
Widowed older adults can reduce the loneliness that results from the death of a spouse by volunteering 100 hours per year, which is about two hours per week, according to a study done in April 2018 done at Georgia State University. The study examined whether becoming a volunteer at the time of widowhood is associated… Continue reading Volunteering 2 Hours Per Week Reduces Loneliness in Widowed Older Adults
Solving the Senior Loneliness Problem During the Holidays
Known by the clinical community as “The Christmas Effect,” it has been well-established that many people experience increased feelings of loneliness and isolation during the holidays. In fact, one study found that, among people who reported a psychiatric emergency during the holidays, the most common stressors reported were loneliness (40%) and being without a family… Continue reading Solving the Senior Loneliness Problem During the Holidays
Five Ways to Bridge the Gap of Loneliness among Seniors
Loneliness and social isolation are among the most potent factors that lead to health risks among the elderly. And being alone is all too common: According to Connect2Affect, an American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)-sponsored website, 17% of adults aged 65 and older are isolated, while 51% of people aged 75 and older live alone.… Continue reading Five Ways to Bridge the Gap of Loneliness among Seniors
Loneliness Could Be a Greater Threat to Health than Obesity
Loneliness and social isolation may represent a greater public health hazard than obesity, and their impact has been growing and will continue to grow, according to research presented in August 2017 at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington, D.C.. A release from the association quotes Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, professor of… Continue reading Loneliness Could Be a Greater Threat to Health than Obesity
Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic
Family, friends, and meaningful work help us build connections that make us feel like we’re part of something. But when we lose that feeling, long-term or permanent loneliness can be the result. Though we have more and more ways of communicating, statistics show that 65% of people surveyed say they’ve been significantly lonely. The issue… Continue reading Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic
Lonely? Your Cold May Feel Even Worse
People who are lonely are likelier to feel that their cold symptoms are more severe, when compared with those who have a social network, according to Rice University researchers. The conclusion, published in the journal Health Psychology, comes from a study led by Rice psychologist Chris Fagundes and graduate student Angie LeRoy. “Loneliness puts people… Continue reading Lonely? Your Cold May Feel Even Worse
Loneliness and Serious Illness
Loneliness and social isolation take a substantial toll on the human body, researchers say, in some frightening ways. But they are beginning to find out exactly why that is. Studies show that people who are chronically lonely have significantly more heart disease, are more vulnerable to metastatic cancer, have an increased risk of stroke and… Continue reading Loneliness and Serious Illness
Home-Delivered Meals Reduce Loneliness
When Congress passed the Older Americans Act in 1965 to support elderly people who were struggling — often alone — to continue to live at home, a major plank of the legislation provided for home delivery of meals to ensure their adequate nutrition. In the midst of the holiday season 2015, a study done at… Continue reading Home-Delivered Meals Reduce Loneliness
Loneliness Can Cause Illness in Older Adults
For older adults, perceived social isolation is a major health risk that can increase the risk of premature death by 14 percent, according to research done at the University of Chicago and published November 23rd 2015 in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences A release from the university notes that researchers have long known… Continue reading Loneliness Can Cause Illness in Older Adults
Jet-Set Lifestyle Isn’t So Great
We might think of experienced travelers as happy people, but in fact, researchers found, there are a few drawbacks to traveling frequently: jet-lag, deep vein thrombosis and radiation exposure. Not to mention stress and loneliness. Researchers from the University of Surrey and Lund University (Sweden) also found that the real problems differed sharply from the… Continue reading Jet-Set Lifestyle Isn’t So Great
Retirement Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely: 9 Great Ways to Stay Connected
Retirement can be a difficult time as you adjust to a new life away from the 9-to-5 grind you’re used to. And if you’re not careful, retirement can become an extremely lonely time, especially if your social life was once wrapped up with your work life. Thankfully, retirees can find companionship in a variety of… Continue reading Retirement Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely: 9 Great Ways to Stay Connected
New Perspectives on Loneliness
Although loneliness is a familiar condition, scientists are only now beginning to look at its causes, consequences, and possible treatments. Researchers developed a special section in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, to bring together a summary of scientific research into loneliness. According to a release from… Continue reading New Perspectives on Loneliness