Loneliness Damages the Body Like Smoking – A Scientific Fact Loneliness is more than just a feeling; it is a quantifiable biological stress. Studies in public health have found that chronic loneliness and social isolation can raise the risk of death comparable to smoking 11 to 15 cigarettes a day. Chronic loneliness triggers the body’s stress response, raising levels of cortisol and inflammatory proteins. This, in turn, can lead to reduced immunity, increased blood pressure, poor sleep, and an elevated risk of heart disease. The brain, too, is affected by loneliness, with increased sensitivity to threats and problems with emotional regulation. Unlike smoking, loneliness does not have a physical manifestation. Its effects are quietly cumulative, changing the body long before the symptoms even surface. In today’s world, where social ties are breaking down, loneliness is a silent health risk that cuts life short without warning. Loneliness does not feel like a threat. It is. अकेलापन शरीर ...