Amelia Grant

Loneliness is officially recognized as a “disease” and is a real threat to your health and wellbeing. Loneliness has been linked to specific life-threatening conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and risk of stroke as well as cardiovascular disease. The elderly aren’t the only ones affected! 

In a world where technology is replacing person to person communication, financial worries often leave you feeling powerless and “real relationships” are sometimes short-lived. Loneliness has become a big issue of our age. 

Such a mental state causes many negative emotions like sadness, anxiety, and fear. Thanks to the close nervous connection between the body and the mind, you begin to feel it physically. Scientists have identified several serious symptoms that can hurt you if you are alone for a long time:

1. Muscle Strain

If loneliness leads to serious emotional stress, you may experience persistent and increasing muscle pain. Stress increases muscle tension and depressive disorders are closely associated with increased perception of pain. It can cause a feeling of weakness in the legs, tired limbs, cramps and back pain.

2. Blurred Consciousness

The greatest influence of loneliness on a person is manifested not in the emotional state but in memory. Studies show that excessive forgetfulness and frequent confusion are closely associated with the development of depression. Problems with memory can interfere with work, school, and other tasks which affect decision making and the ability to think clearly. The further your depression progresses, the harder it is to merge back into society.

3. Headaches

Two-thirds of people who are lonely suffer from severe headaches. When a person is depressed, their migraines are much stronger. Duke University Medical Center has studied 1,400 patients with at least one blocked artery for five years and found that unmarried patients and patients without close friends were three times more likely than others to die within the next five years.

4. Digestive Problems

When we are worried about something, our bodies prepare for a fight or flight, which means turning off standard physical functions such as digestion. This can be expressed both in the feeling of a “heavy” stomach and in severe inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract.

5. Decreased Libido

If you are single, you are probably less inclined to erotica. Modern psychologists believe that the reason for the decrease in libido lies precisely in the constant feeling of stress and fatigue, as well as in the absence of constant social interaction.

6. Lowered Immunity

Lonely people often suffer from colds and infections. Studies show a strong connection between loneliness and suppression of the immune system. The feeling of loneliness can cause chronic inflammation, as well as increase the level of norepinephrine in the body, which affects immune functions. One fun fact is that according to statistics, vaccinations are less effective in single people.

7. Changes in Appetite

If you are lonely you may experience a loss of appetite, or suddenly start eating two times more. There are cases when a depressed person simply does not find the motivation to cook dinner and starts to eat fast food, which over time changes the body's taste habits. Some doctors call this the “hunger of the soul” and emphasize the need to learn to distinguish the desires of the body from emotional anxiety.

8. Trouble Sleeping

Loneliness also affects the quality of your sleep. You may suffer from insomnia and feel exhausted after an 8-hour sleep. Researchers suggest that restless sleep in lonely people is caused by the fact that they don’t feel safe. 

The link between loneliness and poor sleep quality was almost 70% stronger among those who suffer from the violence of other people. It is also important to note that the lack of sleep reduces energy levels and does not allow you to re-establish social contacts.