Sherbrooke Record

Loneliness linked to a number of diseases and conditions

- ASK THE DOCTORS By Eve Glazier, M.D., and Elizabeth Ko, M.D. By Danny Seo

Dear Doctor: I live alone, and stay-athome orders have been hard. I’ve heard people say that being lonely is really bad for your health, and now I believe them. What problems can it cause? Also, I’m going to start seeing friends and family again. What can we do to stay safe?

Dear While it’s easy to understand the link between loneliness and depression, anxiety and other psychologi­cal ills, the connection to physical effects on the human body can seem like a bit of a stretch. However, ongoing research has shown that loneliness, as well as the social isolation we have all been asked to practice for several months now, do, indeed, take a physical toll.

Individual­s who experience chronic loneliness have been found to be more vulnerable to a number of diseases and conditions than are people who enjoy strong emotional connection­s. These include an increased risk of developing heart disease, metastatic cancers and having a stroke. Older adults who are socially isolated are also more likely to become cognitivel­y impaired or to develop dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Researcher­s have even tied loneliness to an increased risk of premature death. Adults in midlife who are chronicall­y lonely are 25% more likely to die prematurel­y. Older adults, whose social connection­s have shrunk due to factors such as retirement, have double the risk of premature death as those who are socially connected.

You’re not alone in being determined to rekindle your social contacts. We’ve all seen an increase in the number of people returning to a semblance of normal life. The challenge is that each and every contact with someone outside of your quarantine circle becomes a calculated risk. This is because of the highly transmissi­ble nature of the novel coronaviru­s and the existence of asymptomat­ic carriers, who can unknowingl­y pass along the virus. Still, several months into the pandemic, the medical community has gained a clearer understand­ing of mitigation measures. As a result, the focus has begun to shift from strict quarantine behavior to risk management and mitigation.

Before we go any further, we have to repeat that any contact with people outside your quarantine circle puts you at risk of infection. The best way to lessen that risk is to stick to small gatherings that are held only outside -- never indoors. And it’s crucial to maintain the social distancing guidelines we are all now familiar with. That means tables or chairs or picnic blankets spaced at least 6 feet apart. No handshakes or hugging, no matter how tempting it may be. Everything about the gathering should be BYO -- bring your own. That includes food, drink, condiments, disposable plates, cups and utensils, and a large garbage bin for safe disposal. Wear masks except while eating or drinking. No sharing of food or drink or condiments. If things get lax and you become uncomforta­ble, make a polite excuse and leave. This is all a far cry from the way we visited with each other in the PRE-COVID-19 world, but the potential consequenc­es of skipping or relaxing even one of these steps are too grave.

Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health.

If you’re replacing the countertop­s in your home with a natural stone or quartz material, you’re often stuck with leftover pieces from the fabricatio­n job. Instead of throwing the pricey scraps away, use them as decorative pieces around the house. Ask the fabricator to make small rectangula­r shelves that can sit on top of radiators or be mounted on the wall as extra storage. Use small pieces to make beautiful bookends, and even use a piece cut into a circle or square to upgrade a tabletop. You can often find scraps at your local countertop company, selling for next to nothing.

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