link to article

Loneliness has severe consequences

We are social beings who in the long run, are only happy if we have other people around us. In an experiment regarding social relations and health, the scientists Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo collected all related research findings of the past years.

• The risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases as a young adult is higher with people who were often lonely during childhood and youth.

• A study conducted with retired elderly people showed that loneliness is the most accurate indicator for an individual’s life duration.

• Furthermore, there is a connection between loneliness and depression. It is not fully clear yet whether loneliness is a trigger for depression or depression a cause for loneliness. But there is more and more proof that depression is a consequence of feeling lonely.

• The mental abilities of a person deteriorate with increasing loneliness. A study showed that the risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimer’s is significantly higher with people who feel lonely.

Massages can help with loneliness

So now that we know that there is a connection between a lack of physical contact and feeling lonely, what can we do about it? The most obvious answer would be to have more physical contact. But what if you’re single, yet not too keen on flinging your arms around a random stranger’s neck? Well, the good news is: any kind of physical contact has a pleasing effect on us. So if you feel a little short on physical closeness, one simple solution could be to get a massage. Or: a pet. All forms of pleasant physical contact – no matter if from humans or animals – are soothing for our well-being. And pets are cute and like cuddling. So, really the ideal partner for getting your daily dose of snuggling – if no one else is available.