One in five Americans are lonely, according to a study conducted by the University of Chicago. Loneliness involves feelings of being unhappy, stressed out, friendless, and even hostile. The main difference between lonely and non-lonely people is that the lonely perceive stressful events as threatening and tend to respond passively by withdrawing, whereas non-lonely people respond to stressful events as a challenge.
Loneliness among those over 50 years of age is accompanied by greater incidence of alcoholism, depression, weak immune system responses to illness, impaired sleep, and suicide. The physiological effect of loneliness is greatest on blood pressure, with an average of 30 points higher among the lonely. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, the number two killer in the United States.
Walking, however, reduces blood pressure by an equal amount, according to the study, such that it is the best defense against the health hazards of loneliness.
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