Can being lonely actually make you sick? A new study says yes. Dude, that’s so sad!
Here’s the thing though–being lonely can also be in your head. The study focused on people who feel lonely despite those who actually have few friends and loved ones. The research showed that lonely people actually had weaker immune systems than their counterparts who felt loved and wanted, and that those who were feeling lonely often suffered more from sudden stress than people who felt fine otherwise.
It’s widely known that stress negatively impacts your physical health, so when combined with the weaker immune systems of those who feel lonely often, feeling bummed out and unloved really can make you sick.
Docs think it’s because feeling lonely adds more stress to your life–and chances are stress is part of why you feel lonely in the first place, so it becomes a vicious and heartwrenching cycle of crappy feelings, both physical and emotional.
That said, no one likes feeling lonely and down. What can you do to snap out of loneliness? We have some ideas, cute girl!
Go for a walk.
Simply being outside can boost your mood and the workout you get will release endorphins that make you happy. You can zone out to your favorite songs on your iPod if you want, but if you want to stop feeling lonely, it may be good to keep the earbuds in your pocket and smile or wave at a stranger. A simple “hello” can make not only their day, but also yours.
Sometimes when you feel lonely, all you want to do is throw on pajamas and sulk, right? But! You’re more likely to reach out to others when you know you look cute. So put on your shimmery lip gloss or favorite mascara and maybe spend a little time doing your hair just the way you love it. It sounds shallow, but a lot of times how you feel on the inside is reflected in the image you put out to the world. Send them a message that says, “Hey! I’m worth getting to know. Seriously, look at how adorable I am. Resistance is futile.”
Give out compliments like they’re candy.
Pretend everyone you see is a trick or treater on Halloween and you just ran out of Snickers. How do you compensate? “You have gorgeous eyes!” “Your art project was awesome.” “That shirt is adorable.” “Cute shoes!” “I loved your presentation in history class.” These will all go a long way to making someone else happy, which will in turn improve your own mood–especially because everyone lucky enough to talk to you may repay you with a sweet word of praise too.
But resist too much actual candy if you can.
It pains me to say this because holy Hell, do I love junk food! But it’s true. A sugar rush can feel good in the moment if you’re lonely, but too much sweets or salt can make you feel bloated, tired and gross after a while, and if you’re eating all comfort foods, your bod may not have the vitamins it needs to fight infections off–and thus, your loneliness can make you sick. A little treat goes a long way–savor it, don’t scarf it!
Hop off of Facebook and talk to friends in person.
Social networking can turn even the best of us into jealous beasts, especially when you’re already feeling lonely to begin with. Instead of lurking everyone’s pages and refreshing your newsfeed to see how much fun everyone else is having, call your BFF to meet for macchiatos and unplug for an hour.
What do you do when you feel lonely? Have you ever felt lonely to the point where you felt physically sick? Do you think feeling lonely can really make you sick? Tell us in the comments!