So Lonely
I’m willing to bet that you already knew that your social sphere makes a big impression on your wellbeing, right?
Did you know how mighty an impact your social life is:
The quality and quantity of individuals' social relationships has been linked not only to mental health but also to both morbidity and mortality.
Source: Social Relationships and Mortality Risk:
A Meta-analytic Review (2010)
That means,
(1) how often you connect with your people,
—and—
(2) how strong those relationship are,
directly influence
(1) your mental health,
(2) your likelihood of suffering from a disease,
—and—
(3) how long you will live.
And that article was published an entire decade before a world-wide pandemic mandated world-wide isolation!
Considering how powerfully social engagement effects humans, it should come as little surprise that the world-wide death rate has maintained a steady increase since 2019.
Living lonely can kill you.
But there’s hope!
In response to what the U.S. Surgeon General calls “our epidemic of loneliness and isolation,” they’ve made loneliness a nav bar priority and recently published an advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.
(Full report download | 1-page summary download)
Here are the takeaways:
> Even though social connection is an innate need for humanity, isolation is increasing.
According to the Surgeon General, social connection is as essential to our long-term survival as food and water. But loneliness is more widespread than other major health issues.
Isolation could be a result of our insatiable dependence on technology and convenience, or perhaps a traumatic response to a pandemic and the uptick in violent crime. It may simply boil down to a misconstrued assumption that separated is safer.
Whatever the reason, loneliness and isolation is a major public health concern.
We should all pay attention, because…
>> Your personal health & wellbeing are significantly impacted by social connection.
Connecting — actively participating in community with others — lowers your risk of an unnecessarily early death.
How engaged you are with your social sphere of choice can actually predict better physical and mental health outcomes, and reduce stress. The more active you are with your pal group, the more likely you will be active in healthier lifestyle choices because activity begets activity, and friends can make major contributions to your mental and emotional state, and help drive your achievement.
As a kid, I hated when my parents had asked me about my friends. As a parent, I get it. Peer influence cannot be understated, and that doesn’t go away when you’re an adult.
Who you associate with is a good indicator of what you value. Similarly, how much engagement you participate in is a good indicator of how you’re doing.
>>> For community health and growth, social connection is essential.
According to the SG, socially connected communities enjoy better population-level health.
That just kind of makes sense, right? In the face of frightening situations or literal storms, we’re more likely to come to the aid of someone we know.
That doesn’t mean the life of the unfamiliar are less valuable, it simply means I’m more aware of and concerned for someone I know. And that’s normal behavior.
When random strangers step in to do heroic things, it’s heroic because it’s beyond the ordinary, it’s extraordinary.
As a single person, my dorm room refrigerator was often empty and when I wasn’t at college I was couch surfing. It wasn’t a big deal because I only had to care for myself, and I could always go out. As long as I had what I needed to cover my expenses, that was good enough. (I’m not prone to ambition.)
But now with a family, we are mindful about ensuring that fridge stays filled. We’re more prepared now because it’s not just me. I also make a better salary now, then when I started working, in no small part because I need to, because we have a family, and that family needs a home, and that fridge needs to stay filled.
I’n inclined toward ambition because of my family is a priority.
And the things I now do for my family naturally benefit me, too. My success is a symbiotic process, benefiting me directly and my community.
It’s almost like humanity was designed to do life together. 🤔
>>>> We can improve our personal and public health together.
Yes we can.
When we commit to building relationship with our social spheres — our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, religious communities, etc. — we are committing to improving our own health and the greater health of our society.
Here’s a challenge:
Call that friend who’s been on your mind and just say hi…
Invite your neighbor over for a cookout…
Take your parent or child or niece/nephew out for a treat…
Go to the prayer service…
Show up for the yoga class…
Put your device down and look a stranger in the eye and smile…
You need it. I need it. We all need it.
Commit today to doing something with/for someone that will absolutely make your day brighter — and theirs, too!
I want you to reap the benefits of a happier, longer life.