Loneliness Linked to a Shorter Life in Aging Adults

Feeling lonely for extended periods of time increases the likelihood of premature death in aging adults, new research shows.

According to the study, which came out of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, lonely adults past the age of 50 have a 14percent higher risk of premature death, compared to happy adults of the same age.

The study was presented by research lead John Cacioppo at the American Association of the Advancement of Science's annual meeting in Chicago this morning.

Cacioppo explained that to reach their conclusion, he and his team reviewed how more than 2100 adults past the age of 55 answered survey questions concerning mood, socioeconomic status, social isolation, and quality of life. They also compared health histories of these same participants.

Analysis of the responses lead to the team concluding that feeling lonely leads to a noticeable rise in blood pressure, increased depression -- which is already prevalent in aging adults -- and less restful sleep.

According to Cacioppo, that last one is a significant cause behind their numbers. "Poor quality of sleep hastens aging," he explained during his presentation.

And he wouldn't be wrong. Other recent research has linked restless sleep to memory problems and wide-spread pain conditions like fibromyalgia which, of course, make sleeping even more difficult.

Without restful sleep, the exhaustion that follows can also indirectly lead to loneliness. Cacioppo explained that loss of mobility is one of the leading causes of loneliness in aging adults, where day to day activities take significantly more effort. For some aging adults, simply going out to see friends may start feeling like running a marathon.

However, Cacioppo claims that social interaction is paramount to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for older adults.

"Older adults who maintain meaningful, satisfying relationships weather life's stressors to emerge happier, healthier and wiser than people who do not," he says.

Because the study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. It should also be noted that the study did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship, but only presented evidence of numerical correlations.

The study was presented at the American Association of the Advancement of Science's annual meeting in Chicago on February 16.