Loneliness not only affects your mental health, but also your physical health. Researchers from the USA have now discovered a new connection.
Munich – smartphones, social media, work stress – many people suffer from loneliness, especially in supposedly modern societies. A study by Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) has shown how great loneliness is in Germany. A Loneliness barometer shows which people feel particularly lonely in Germany. A current study from the USA now shows that the risk of stroke is closely related to the subjective feeling of loneliness.
Experts warn: Loneliness is bad for your health
A research group from Harvard, Cambridge and Boston universities has published their results in the online journal The Lancet published. They evaluated data from participants who took part in a long-term study between 2006 and 2018 and provided information about their feelings of loneliness. Among other things, they should indicate whether they feel excluded from others or have people they can trust.
New warning sign: Higher risk of stroke if loneliness persists
Four years later, participants were interviewed again to document changes in their feelings of loneliness. The evaluation showed: People who had consistently high loneliness levels at both points in time – i.e. who felt very lonely over the long term – had a 56 percent higher risk of stroke compared to those who reported consistently low loneliness levels.
It is also noteworthy that, in contrast to previous studies, it appears that the increased risk due to loneliness was largely independent of other known risk factors or health conditions.
Stroke: You should know these risk factors
According to the World Health Organization, strokes are the second leading cause of death worldwide, just behind coronary heart disease. In addition, the number of strokes is continuously increasing – by a full 70 percent between 1990 and 2019. The most significant risk factors include:
– High blood pressure
– Smoke
– Lack of exercise
– unhealthy diet
– Alcohol consumption
– Overweight
– stress
– Depression
Source: WHO
Almost a third of adults in Germany are affected
High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of stroke. According to the AOK, almost one in three adults in Germany suffers from the disease. In addition to regular physical activity, experts recommend a low-salt diet and avoiding cigarettes. There is a free one on a special website “High blood pressure coach” available to help those interested in becoming informed and promoting a healthier lifestyle. The German Stroke Aid Foundation emphasizes that 70 percent of strokes are preventable. Weight loss injections also apparently reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Alzheimer’s is also a widespread problem. A certain drink is supposed to help counteract this. (construction)
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