When children leave the nest or a partner passes away, the person who remains behind can struggle with feelings of loneliness. Being lonely isn’t just hard on your emotions; research finds it can also increase your risk for several medical conditions, including heart disease.
A study published online in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity finds that meditation could be one effective method for combating loneliness.
Forty older adults (ages 55-85) were randomly assigned to either an 8-week meditation program or a wait-list control group. Researchers also collected blood samples to measure levels of genes related to inflammation. Not only did the meditation program significantly decrease loneliness, but it also reduced markers of inflammation, which indicates a benefit to the immune system.
This study was small and preliminary, but it does add to a growing body of research about the benefits of meditation and other relaxation techniques on mood.
– Harvard Women’s Health Watch
