Loneliness may steal nearly 6 years of good health

Loneliness and social isolation may cost people years of healthy life, with an especially striking toll on <a s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public and Tropical Medicine have now attempted to put a number on that toll. Their first-of-its-kind observational study, published in Nature Communications, found that loneliness and social isolation were associated with the loss of nearly six years of life free from mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. The effects on physical health were smaller, but still significant.

“Overall, the study found that social isolation and loneliness can have a significant impact on disease-free life expectancy,” said lead author Lu Qi, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor in Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public and Tropical Medicine at Tulane. “This includes both physical and mental disease.”

Although loneliness and social isolation are often treated as the same thing in everyday conversation, researchers distinguish between them. Social isolation refers to an objective lack of social connections. Loneliness, by contrast, describes a person’s subjective dissatisfaction with the quality of their relationships, regardless of how many social interactions they actually have.

“The findings weren’t surprising to me,” Qi said. “Previous studies found that social isolation and loneliness are related to mortality, especially premature mortality, and this study provides additional evidence.”

Tracking <a This comes down to the gender differences between men and women," Qi said. "Our research found men are more susceptible to being affected by loneliness. We also know that women tend to live longer than men. There are gender advantages with certain diseases."

Healthy Habits Help With Isolation, but Not Loneliness

The researchers also examined whether lifestyle could alter these associations. Healthier habits, including better diet, regular <a loneliness may steal nearly years of good health. sciencedaily. sciencedaily october tulane university.>ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 23, 2026 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261006234514.htm
Tulane University. "Loneliness may steal nearly 6 years of good health." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261006234514.htm (accessed October 23, 2026).

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