RELATIONSHIPS AND LONGEVITY: A PIVOTAL BUT NEGLECTED RELATIONSHIP
If you often feel lonely, you’re not alone.
More than nine million people in the UK alone report that they are often or always often lonely, which may be exacerbated by the fact that nearly two-thirds of these people feel uncomfortable admitting their lonesomeness.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, loneliness tends to increase with age in UK adults, which is especially problematic given that loneliness strongly affects health. Systematic reviews of all of the scientific literature on this subject have shown that social isolation is a potent risk factor for both cardiovascular and mental health problems.
In fact, loneliness and social isolation appear to increase the risk of dying prematurely from any cause, and the strength of these effects are comparable to behaviours such as smoking.
Awareness of the associations between social relationships and longevity is increasing.
And if you are experiencing loneliness first-hand, I think this blog gives you ideas about what you can do to reap the health rewards of (re)connecting with those around you.
The Importance of Community and Optimism to Longevity
Worldwide, there are five places where there is an unusually high proportion of centenarians. These areas (“blue zones”) are Loma Linda in California, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Sardinia in Italy, Ikaria in Greece, and Okinawa in Japan. Centenarians in these areas seem to share certain characteristics, several of which are very relevant to this blog. These characteristics include:
A strong sense of purpose in life – when these centenarians wake up each morning, they know what they’re here for.
Belonging to a community. Belonging to a community with healthy habits seems to be especially protective against ill health.
Putting loved ones first.
Another important characteristic of longevity is optimism.
The difference in lifespan between the least and most optimistic people is remarkable – the most optimistic 25% of women live about 15% longer than the least optimistic 25%, for example, and the difference is similar for men.
The question is, what can you do about all of this?
How to Capitalise on the Associations Between Strong Social Relationships and Longevity
Your situation is unique, and you likely know what is best for you, so the following suggestions may not be right for your circumstances. But I do hope they spark some ideas, though!
Identify your values and whether you’re currently living according to them. The bull’s eye exercise can be very helpful for this, and you can find out more about it here.
Join a local community. If you’re religious, this could be a community at a place of worship. If you have a hobby or want to develop one, you could search sites such as Meetup for nearby groups of people with similar interests. And if there isn’t a community for your particular interest, you may have the option to start one!
Give back. If you feel lonely, it may be best to do this in person. For example, you could volunteer at a local charity event. Internet searches for local events will help you quickly identify whether there are volunteering opportunities near you. You can also give back remotely by donating money to effective charities. The best resource I know of to help you find these is Give Well. The effective altruism movement was largely pioneered by the great Peter Singer, and it’s gained a lot of traction in recent years. There are now thousands of people pledging to give what they can.
Do activities in groups, when you get the chance. For example, you could try a class at your local gym instead of doing your regular workout by yourself.
Get a pet! Because pets aren’t just adorable. Caring for an animal like a dog may help get you outside, increase your physical activity, and expose you to microbes that help strengthen your immune system. A much-discussed study last year reviewed all of the scientific literature on dog ownership and found that people who own dogs are less likely to die prematurely, which may largely result from effects on cardiovascular health.
Closing
Loneliness is widespread and disposes people to all sorts of health problems.
You shouldn’t be afraid to admit you’re lonely if you feel this way - there are lots of things you can do to (re)connect with those around you. So, I hope you benefit from implementing some of the strategies mentioned in this blog!
If you read these blogs and still struggle with your health and performance, or are looking to further optimise that, you may benefit from additional guidance. This is where Wellgevity can help you…
The Wellgevity team uses a comprehensive approach to get to and address the root causes of people’s health problems, and the team has helped hundreds of people improve their wellbeing and performance.
To get in touch with the Wellgevity team, click here.
Relationships and community form one of our core Wellgevity pillars. Our coaching and protocols are formulated to enhance your relationships (at home, work or play) and encourage the development of a community in which you can flourish…
Tagged: longevity, relationships, community, volunteering, togetherness, people
