Loneliness (as health risk)

Loneliness, the subjective feeling of social disconnection, is now recognised as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, dementia, and early mortality. Meta-analyses by Holt-Lunstad and colleagues (2010, 2015) found social isolation and loneliness raise all-cause mortality risk by roughly 26 to 32 percent — an effect she has compared by analogy to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. It dysregulates inflammation, sleep, and HPA-axis stress responses. In longevity science, addressing loneliness through community, purpose, and relationships is a primary, evidence-based intervention.