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Pillars of health

Connection

Loneliness affects one in six people worldwide and is linked to more than 871,000 deaths a year — about 100 deaths every hour. WHO Commission estimate, 2025.

Level: Feelings · Living feelingsGlobal estimate · World Health Organization, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

What science says

  1. A meta-analysis of 148 studies (308,849 people): people with stronger social relationships had 1.5 times the odds of surviving the follow-up (odds ratio 1.5). That is comparable to well-known risk factors. The data are observational.

    Meta-analysis of observational studiesPLoS Medicine (Holt-Lunstad J et al.), 2010 (opens in a new tab)

  2. Social isolation is associated with a 29% higher risk of early death, feeling lonely with 26%, living alone with 32%.

    Meta-analysis of observational studiesPerspectives on Psychological Science (Holt-Lunstad J et al.), 2015 (opens in a new tab)

  3. Both the fact and the feeling matter: the analysis found no difference between objective isolation and subjective loneliness.

    Meta-analysis of observational studiesPerspectives on Psychological Science (Holt-Lunstad J et al.), 2015 (opens in a new tab)

  4. Connection matters well before old age: in samples with an average age under 65, a lack of connection predicted death even more strongly.

    Meta-analysis of observational studiesPerspectives on Psychological Science (Holt-Lunstad J et al.), 2015 (opens in a new tab)

  5. By WHO’s assessment, strong connections can reduce inflammation and the risk of serious health problems, foster mental health and prevent early death.

    Official positionWorld Health Organization, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Weekly anchor

There is no scientific norm for social contact. This is an AbsoHealth practice, not a rule.

  • One in-person meeting with someone close.Practice
  • One group activity where people know you by name.Practice
  • One call to someone you have not talked to for a long time.Practice

How to start

Three small steps for this week.

  1. Message someone who comes to mind today — no reason needed.
  2. Choose a regular activity with the same people every week: a choir, a book club, board games.
  3. Do something for your neighbours or your area: a clean-up, a skill swap, a local event.

Try it nearby

Live is stronger than a screen: classes and masters on AbsoLive, the map of the Absolute community.

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Sources

  1. 1Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk of early death (opens in a new tab) — World Health Organization, 2025
  2. 2Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review (opens in a new tab) — PLoS Medicine (Holt-Lunstad J et al.), 2010
  3. 3Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review (opens in a new tab) — Perspectives on Psychological Science (Holt-Lunstad J et al.), 2015