Social isolation is linked to an increased dementia risk

The older you get, the greater your risk for social isolation.

For some folks, it’s because close family and friends have passed away, and they live alone. For others, mobility issues or chronic illness keep them isolated.

Hearing loss can also make connecting with people difficult. Or simply no longer being able to drive can make meeting up with others difficult.

Social isolation doesn’t just leave you feeling lonely, either. Research has revealed it can increase the risk of premature death from ALL causes.

In fact, there’s evidence that loneliness may even rival the risks of smoking, obesity, and inactivity.

(You might want to read that last sentence again!)

And now, a recent study found that social isolation is associated with a 50 percent increased risk of one of the greatest health epidemics of our time.

Social isolation can do a number on your mental health.

The most extreme example is solitary confinement, a disciplinary action often taken in prisons.

Research has connected solitary confinement to mental health problems like anxiety, depression, violence, and suicide.

The physical effects are also very real, including things like headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations, joint pain, sleep problems, and more.

Now, social isolation isn’t as extreme as solitary confinement, but its negative impact on your health is every bit as real.

Previous studies have shown that social isolation and loneliness are associated with a 50 percent increased risk of dementia.

And now a study has solidified this link, revealing the connection between social isolation and KNOWN risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Data was collected on over 500,000 people from the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging, including information on the frequency of the participant’s social interactions, their loneliness levels, and the amount of social support they had access to.

Researchers found significant links between the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (and other dementias) and a lack of social support.

For example, smoking, excessive drinking, inactivity, and sleep problems are all known risk factors for Alzheimer’s. And it turns out that people who DID have these risk factors ALSO had significantly greater odds of lacking social support.

Even physical risk factors for Alzheimer’s—like cardiovascular disease, vision and hearing impairment, and diabetes—were associated with greater odds of social isolation.

If YOU feel lonely or isolated, it’s time to do something about it before your health suffers.

Need some inspiration?

• Join a gym.
• Go to church.
• Consider moving to a senior community.
• Take classes at a local community college.
• Call an old friend.

And that’s just scratching the surface. There are SO many ways to reach out and connect with others.

And when you do, it will make your life—and the lives of others—richer AND healthier.

P.S. If you have heart disease, you might think that the greatest risk to your health is high cholesterol or blood pressure. But there’s one overlooked risk factor that can make you up to THREE TIMES more likely to die after being hospitalized. I’ve got all the details RIGHT HERE.

SOURCE:

“Social isolation is linked to classical risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias,” PlosOne, Published: February 1, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280471