How Loneliness Affects Your Health

When we think about loneliness, we don’t associate it with risks comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. But a growing body of research shows that loneliness significantly impairs physical and mental health. Loneliness is linked to a 29 percent higher risk of heart disease, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke, accelerated cognitive decline, and increased mortality. Chronic, profound loneliness triggers high inflammation, weakens the immune system, and contributes to depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Clinician researcher Alison Warren, DAOM, MSHS ’17, PhD student, of the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, gave a wellness talk on loneliness and how it impacts your overall health–and ways to counteract it. An adjunct assistant professor in the SMHS, she specializes in the intersection of Integrative Medicine, neuroscience, and psychology. She is also an adjunct assistant professor in the Institute for Brain Health and Dementia in the GW Milken School of Public Health and an instructor with the Harvard Extension School. Dr. Warren’s research, particularly in 2025-2026, focuses on loneliness as a significant, modifiable determinant of health and a driver of physiological damage. Her work explains that chronic social disconnection causes wear and tear across multiple systems, including immune, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular systems. ◘ Related Links: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s How Right Now (information and resources on loneliness and other emotions) https://www.cdc.gov/howrightnow/index.html; NIH Social Connection Toolkit https://www.nih.gov/health-information/your-healthiest-self-wellness-toolkits/social-wellness-toolkit; GW Resiliency & Well-being Center’s resources page on loneliness https://rwc.smhs.gwu.edu/loneliness; Dr. Warren’s slide presentation on loneliness https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fdrc6v7kjua6y0j88og6j/UPDATED_Warren_GW-Resiliency-Center-Loneliness-1.pdf?rlkey=5fpz4h7naach2ss1anpxch7ea&st=k2k958gr&dl=0; Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation 2023, The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf; Warren, A. (2026). Loneliness as a sex-specific risk factor for cognitive aging. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 20, 1784613. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2026.1784613; Warren, A. (2026). Loneliness as a Vital Sign: Toward a Biopsychosocial Reframing of Social Disconnection. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 17, 21501319261426724. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319261426724; Warren, A., Wynia, Z., Corr, P. G., Devin, M. F., Celikkol, Z., Gordon, L., Farah, M., Karam, M., Villarreal, D., Jackson, S. A., & Frame, L. A. (2026). The microbiota–gut–brain axis in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: A scoping review of human studies. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 22(1), e71023. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71023; Warren, A. (2025). Loneliness as a driver of allostatic load: Mechanisms linking social disconnection to physiological dysregulation and health disparities. Stress, 28(1), 2594067. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2025.2594067 ◘ Transcript bit.ly/3JoA2mz ◘ This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license. ◘ Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.