Live Longer with Heart Disease?! (Here’s How…)

If you have heart disease, you might think that the greatest risk to your health is your high cholesterol or your blood pressure or your increased risk of stroke.

Those are indeed all serious risks.

But if you have heart disease, there’s one thing in particular that can really do damage to your heart.

It’s so harmful that it makes you up to THREE TIMES more likely to die after being hospitalized.

The good news is that it’s preventable—and treatable—without any drugs, surgeries, or procedures.

And it’s all thanks to this “friendly” cure.

People have made entire music careers with songs about being lonely.

“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.”

“All by myself… don’t wanna be all by myself.”

The list goes on.

But if you have heart disease and are experiencing overwhelming feelings of loneliness, it could do more than make you sad or be the muse for a new hit song… it could put you in an early grave.

For a study published in the journal Heart, researchers analyzed data on over 13,000 heart patients averaging 60 years old after they had been in the hospital.

They completed questionnaires on their health, psychological wellbeing, levels of anxiety and depression, and more.

Let’s just say those who were lonely didn’t fare well, mentally or physically.

Those who were lonely were THREE TIMES more likely to be anxious or depressed—and to have a lower quality of life—compared to the non-lonely.

Lonely women were three times more likely to die.

And lonely men were two times more likely to die.

This was regardless of other factors.

This study didn’t evaluate why loneliness was tied to such major health problems, but I’m sure there are multiple factors at play.

People who are lonely or socially isolated tend to not take care of themselves as well. They’re more likely to smoke, to eat processed food, and to sit on the couch all day—and those are bad for ANYONE’S health, whether you’re lonely or not.

Studies also show that lonely people have higher levels of stress hormones (which is bad for your heart) and lower immune function (which is bad for your overall health).

On the flip side of the coin, the people who live the longest all tend to have active social networks.

Whatever the reason, loneliness is clearly bad for your health and longevity.

If you find yourself struggling with being lonely, you owe it to yourself to try to connect with people and become more socially active.

Play Bingo once a week.

Join your local YMCA and take a water aerobics class or learn to play pickleball.

Volunteer for an organization like Meals on Wheels.

The possibilities are endless—and so are the rewards.