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There's no shame in spending a Friday night solo, curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and your latest Netflix obsession. But keeping to yourself too often—or feeling isolated despite being surrounded by people (yes, you can be lonely in a crowd!)—could have some serious health implications. Here are four ways loneliness can mess with your well-being.
You could pack on extra pounds.
Cooking for one means you get to make whatever you want, but it can also make you lazy. Do you really want to go to the trouble of chopping vegetables and roasting a chicken when you're the only person who'll be dining? Cereal for dinner is fine once in a while, but if you find yourself logging into Seamless or eating cold leftover pizza while standing in front of the refrigerator a little too often, you could be in trouble. Researchers from Queensland University of Technology confirmed that people who live alone are more likely to have unhealthy diets, compared with their coupled-up counterparts. Not having a partner to eat, shop, and split the cost of nutritious food with can be major deterrents. Good news for women, though: The study found that bachelors were much more likely than single ladies to have a poor diet. (Snack AND lose weight with this box of Prevention-approved treats from Bestowed.)
You may need more sick days.
Feeling lonely—whether you're stuck at home by yourself or at a birthday bash but don't feel like you're connecting with anyone—can be a dangerous thing, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers found that perceived isolation (i.e., feeling lonely, even if you’re not alone) could increase the risk of premature death by 14%. Loneliness seems to triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, resulting in more inflammation and a lackluster immune response. (Try one of these 9 power foods that boost immunity.)
Your bank account could take a hit.
Retail therapy can work, but it's tricky. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research shows that lonely people are more apt to focus on material objects, and that purchasing new items can in fact make them happier. But that only holds true if the items themselves—whether it's a new pair of heels or a flat-screen TV—bring them comfort and joy. If you're buying something because you think it will make others more apt to flock to you, don't bother: When your purchase doesn't attract the positive attention you were expecting, you'll end up feeling worse than ever, say researchers.
Your brainpower may start to decline.
Having a housemate—whether it's a spouse, good friend, or even a paid aide—can help you stay engaged and encourage those neurons in your brain to keep firing. Go it alone and you might have a higher risk of developing memory problems as you age. A large study of more than 2,000 people, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, found that people who live alone are 70 to 80% more likely to develop dementia than those with in-home company. And those who felt lonely, whether they lived with someone or not, were 2.5 times more likely to develop cognitive trouble.
http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/4-surprising-ways-loneliness-affects-your-health
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