HHS HealthBeat (April 21, 2010)

Loneliness and blood pressure

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Feeling chronically lonely seems to make blood pressure go up in people growing older. Louise Hawkley at the University of Chicago found that in data on 229 people ages 50 to 68 who had their blood pressure taken and answered questions about whether they felt lonely.

"We found that their blood pressure four years later was significantly higher than people who reported feeling quite socially connected." (8 seconds)

Hawkley says blood pressure rose the most in the most lonely.

Hawkley thinks some lonely people might fear rejection, which could be a chronic stress that raises blood pressure. She suggests seeking rewarding relationships.

The study in the journal Psychology and Aging was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 21, 2011