Feeling lonely and isolated isn't just an emotional downer—it can severely impact your physical and mental well-being. Researchers have found the mechanisms linking loneliness to serious health issues.
Why it matters
Chronic loneliness has been linked to higher risks of depression, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and even early death.
- Roughly 25% of adults worldwide report feeling very or somewhat lonely, making it a widespread and urgent health threat according to the World Health Organization
- Chronic loneliness harms the brain and body, unlike temporary loneliness, which likely evolved to motivate people to rejoin social groups for survival.
- Exercise is gaining increased attention as a countermeasure. One study revealed that going for an hour-long walk can completely reverse low mood caused by loneliness.
“Unremediated poor hearing increases risk of loneliness…. If it’s more costly for you to go out and do something because you can’t hear, especially in restaurants or crowded rooms, then you don’t do it as much or you don’t get as much out of it because you missed a lot of the conversation. So we see that people with poor hearing—older adults with poor hearing—are more likely to feel lonely.” —Linda Waite, Ph.D., University of Chicago, interviewed on NPR's Science Friday, December 2023
A closer look
- Loneliness elevates stress hormones, which increase Alzheimer's risk and other forms of neurodegeneration when chronically elevated.
- It alters connectivity between different brain networks, which could help explain its link to dementia.
- Loneliness activates some of the same neural reward pathways as hunger, suggesting an underlying biological drive to seek social connections, just like seeking food.
- A difficult truth: Loneliness feeds on itself through a self-perpetuating cycle. Lonely people perceive the world differently and more negatively, which pushes them deeper into isolation over time.
“So we’ve known for a while that, just as a predictor of mortality, the quality of your social relationships is more important than whether you smoke.” —Dr. Linda Waite on Science Friday
Hearing loss and loneliness
Several studies have found that hearing loss is associated with a higher risk of social isolation and loneliness. The key points are:
- People with hearing loss often avoid social situations due to difficulties communicating, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness over time.
- For each decibel decrease in hearing ability, the odds of developing severe loneliness increase by 7%.
- Loneliness is associated with increased risks of anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, dementia, and early death. [4]
- Untreated hearing loss increases the risk of dementia by 50%, depression by 40%, and falls by 30% over a 10-year period.
Hearing aids help prevent loneliness and social isolation, significantly increasing your quality of life.
Social isolation
First, let's define the difference between social isolation and loneliness:
- Social isolation is an objective lack of social contacts and interactions (the number of social connections a person has)
- Loneliness is a subjective feeling of being alone or separated from others and the perceived quality of a person's relationships.
While the two concepts are distinct, they're related and often occur together.
- Both increase the likelihood of worsening sensory, mobility, and overall health.
- For example, both increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, and even premature death.
Three stages of social isolation
A pioneering new study has mapped out the typical progression from initial hearing difficulties to full social isolation. The three stages are
1) Disengagement: At this beginning stage, people start zoning out during conversations, losing focus, and getting bored due to hearing issues.
2) Social withdrawal: They leave social events early and avoid difficult hearing situations (a lot of background clatter).
3) Social isolation: At the final stage, people limit their interactions and lack companionship as isolation deepens.
The researchers recommend various interventions to slow or halt the progression, including the following:
- Treating age-related hearing loss with hearing aids
- Using education and counseling, exercise programs, support groups and social activities
The takeaway
- Loneliness and social isolation aren't just emotional issues; they're also physiological.
- Untreated hearing loss deepens isolation and loneliness.
- Treating hearing loss with hearing aids helps stop the progression of harm to the brain and body caused by loneliness and social isolation, which is crucial for healthier aging.
Schedule a free hearing screening
Hearing loss is gradual and not benign. Untreated, it increases your risk of loneliness, social isolation, falling, and dementia.
Check yours with a free, 15-minute hearing screening by an audiologist.
Call 708-599-9500 to schedule yours.
► For facts about hearing loss and hearing aid options, download The Hearing Loss Guide.
Don't let untreated hearing loss threaten your health and happiness.
Crest Hill, IL - 630-633-5060 | Palos Hills, IL - 708-599-9500
