A statistic from a 2010 study is doing the rounds again. But is it helpful?
Similarly to the nutrition, exercise and alcohol use guidelines promoted by many national governments, social connection guidelines have the potential to improve our health and happiness by helping us prioritize social connections in our daily lives.
(Shutterstock)
People who are lonely lead sicker and shorter lives. Just like the guidelines for food and exercise, public health guidelines for social connection can help us all live happier and healthier lives.
In ‘Beef,’ two L.A. strangers (played by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong) end up in an escalating feud after a road rage incident. The identity of the characters is both incidental and central to the story, blasting through stereotypes.
(Andrew Cooper/Netflix)
The brilliance of the new Netflix TV show, ‘Beef,’ which looks at loneliness and urban life, is threatened by the controversial history of one of its supporting actors, David Choe.
Older monkeys still hang out, just with a smaller circle of intimates.
Lauren Brent
Many older people tend to trim their social circles and focus their social efforts on family and close friends. New research on our close primate relatives may help explain why.
The California-based startup Replika has programmed chatbots to serve as companions.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
A big reason the idea is gaining momentum globally is that the benefits for the health of individuals, communities and the environment are clear and almost immediate.
Public health measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic meant that many people experienced social isolation. But the pandemic didn’t invent loneliness, and its impacts on our health are growing.
Many studies on alcohol and health do not consider the social context of drinking.
(Pixabay)
Loneliness and social isolation are some of the strongest predictors of poor health. But many studies informing Canada’s new alcohol guidelines don’t consider social connection at all.
A systematic review of thousands of studies around the world has found many aspects of our cities affect loneliness. But people’s relationship with their environment is complex and highly individual.
When bonds are forged between generations, both the young and the old benefit.
Maskot/DigitalVision via Getty Images
Social isolation and loneliness in aging adults have been linked to numerous physical and mental health ailments. Teaching students how to listen deeply to older people can lessen those effects.
Christmas isn’t always the most wonderful time of the year.
Stock-Asso/Shutterstock
Two new studies highlight the importance of social connection in the workplace and illustrate why working from home may not be the optimal workplace arrangement.
When the pandemic hit, green space was there for us at a time when others weren’t or couldn’t be. Urban greening might be the solution to the ‘lonelygenic environment’ that our cities have created.
A white paper launched today reveals four actions governments, researchers and policymakers can take to combat loneliness.
Research shows that grandparents’ involvement in their grandchildren’s lives plays a critically important role in a child’s overall health and development.
Mayur Kakade/Moment via Getty Images
Models shows that some 4 million people in the US have lost a grandparent to COVID-19. But until now, there has been a dearth of research into the mental health effects of losing a grandparent.