Social isolation, loneliness linked to worse heart and brain health
Isolation and loneliness may affect more than your mood or your social life. Connections with others – or lack of them – are associated with many facets of overall health.
Strong evidence links social isolation and loneliness with an increased risk of worse heart and brain health, including about a 30% increased risk of heart attack or stroke or death from either, according to a 2022 American Heart Association statement.
Loneliness and social isolation are common and have a mortality risk similar to cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity or obesity.
Even though social isolation and loneliness are sometimes viewed as the same thing, there is a difference. Social isolation is an objective condition referring to infrequent social contact with other people. Loneliness is defined as a subjective feeling of being alone.
“Importantly, both have been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality,” said Patricia R. Lawrence, PhD, RN, director of Project Healthy Grandparents and a clinical assistant professor at Georgia State University.
Someone can be both socially isolated and lonely, or they can live a relatively isolated life and not feel lonely. It’s also possible for someone with many social contacts to experience loneliness.
Social isolation and loneliness can be associated with behaviors that negatively impact health – less physical activity, smoking and less fruit and vegetable consumption, research shows.
The impact on age groups
Older people and young adults appear to be most at risk for social isolation and loneliness, studies show.
The risk of isolation increases with age because of life factors, such as retirement or widowhood. Nearly one-fourth of U.S. adults age 65 and older are socially isolated, and the prevalence of loneliness in this age group is estimated at 22% to 47%, according to a study cited in the American Heart Association’s scientific statement.
Though data linking social isolation and loneliness with dementia and cognitive impairment is sparse, the AHA statement said, researchers continue to explore the question.
Social participation by middle-aged and older adults was linked to a decrease in the likelihood of cognitive decline in a study published in 2024, although it said further research is needed. Another systematic review in 2023 examined links among loneliness, social isolation, living alone and the mortality risk for people with cardiovascular disease and found an association with premature death, noted Lawrence.
Project Healthy Grandparents, a community-based research program at Georgia State University, is examining how loneliness and resiliency are related to depressive symptoms in grandparents raising their grandchildren. Recognizing the importance of social connectedness, Project Healthy Grandparents offers monthly support groups for current and past participants, Lawrence said.
Young people can be isolated and lonely, as well. A survey from Harvard University described Gen Z (ages 12-27) as the loneliest generation and stated that increased isolation and loneliness among young adults ages 18-22 may be attributed to higher social media use and less meaningful in-person engagement.
Others at risk for social isolation and loneliness include people with physical disabilities and those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, the LGBTQ+ community and rural areas. Access to transportation, living arrangements and even natural disasters can affect social connections.
COVID-19 and social isolation
The COVID-19 pandemic caused people of all ages to minimize in-person social contact to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Some of the measures that were useful in protecting individuals from infections also had the effect of causing noticeable social isolation,” explained Dr. Theodore M. Johnson II, MD, MPH, a geriatric specialist who directs the Family and Preventive Medicine department and General Internal Medicine division at Emory University School of Medicine.
Johnson led a group of physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, infection control experts and other researchers in a program to support Georgia nursing homes during the pandemic. Family visits, recreational therapy groups and community activities weren’t occurring at the time, which negatively impacted nursing home residents and staff, he said.
“Helpful social distancing really should have been called physical distancing – there are things that you can do to remain connected without communicable spread,” Johnson noted.
Staying connected, improving health
Fitness and recreational programs for older people to encourage social interaction may be useful. The AHA statement said more research is needed on these interventions and on how social isolation and loneliness influence cardiovascular and brain health.
Caregivers for people with a chronic condition can be susceptible to social isolation and may need support through occasional respite care. Recent research looked at how lives and relationships were disrupted for unpaid caregivers of those who suffered an in-hospital cardiac arrest and how they can get support.
Medicare annual wellness visits ask people about social isolation. The health care system and community resources can assist those experiencing isolation and loneliness.
Johnson’s team developed several tips for socially isolated people:
- Join community groups
- Exercise to positively impact mental health
- Find walking groups or yoga classes
- Consider spending time with a pet therapy animal
- Participate in talk therapy with a trained counselor
- Use technology to connect with others through video calls or online support groups
Both social isolation and loneliness can put your health at risk. Boosting connections with others may help in living a longer, healthier life.
