Beat the Lonelies: The Importance of Staying Connected

Positive relationships with friends and family help us thrive. Without them, it’s easy to feel isolated or lonely.

While anyone can feel lonely, certain factors increase your risk, such as major life changes or losses. Older adults tend to have additional risks: they’re more likely to live alone, mobility issues can limit activities and make it hard to leave the house, and hearing or vision loss can cause some to avoid being with others.

At any age, staying connected is as important to wellbeing as physical activity and eating and sleeping well. Loneliness is linked to higher rates of depression and heart disease and can weaken the immune system.

Ways to stay connected when feeling lonely
• Get your heart going. Exercise reduces stress and boosts mood. Fitness classes of all types for all skill levels are available at community and senior centers, online and even on TV (tell the remote to show you free yoga, tai chi, qui gong or aerobics classes).
• Volunteer. Opportunities abound to help worthy causes. Check with your library, senior/community center, or pet rescue, or search online for “volunteer opportunities near me.” Helping others provides a sense of purpose and meaning.
• Say hello. Call, email, visit, or chat online with friends and family. Even brief encounters — greeting neighbors during a walk or fellow shoppers at the store — can remind us in small, positive ways that we are part of a community.
• Visit the library or senior/community center. A plethora of programs for learning, social connection, fitness, and more are offered.
• Consider a pet. Pets provide comfort and companionship. Caring for a pet (food, engagement, exercise), creates a wonderful bond as well as structure to daily routines.

Shaking off “the lonelies” needn’t be a big undertaking, and what works for one may not suit another. Consider what interests you, the amount engagement you’d like (a little or a lot), and poke around — opportunities for connection abound. If you try something and find it’s not for you, try something different! The most important thing: take that first step. Try a class, visit a community center, call a friend. With so many ways to create connection, there’s truly something for everyone.

Courtesy NIH: US Dept of Health & Human Services