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New Delhi: It has been scientifically proven that being lonely can take quite a toll on your health – both physically and mentally. In fact, research suggests that lacking social connections can be as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. This shows that the health implications of being lonely go much further than a weird personality defect.

We all feel lonely at times in our life, but keeping to ourselves too often or feeling isolated despite being surrounded by people can have serious health consequences. People can feel lonely for many reasons. Researchers say some people may have it (loneliness) in their genes. Sometimes, loneliness may be a symptom of another social or psychological problem, such as chronic depression.

Here are some of the health effects of living a lonely life:

Weight gain

When you're lonely, you are more likely to end up consuming more calories than you would when you eat with someone else. Researchers from Queensland University of Technology confirmed that people who live alone are more likely to have unhealthy diets, compared with their coupled-up counterparts. According to a 2009 study published in the journal Health Psychology, folks who are lonely are also more likely to be physically inactive. Read: Want to lose weight fast? Never eat these 3 fat-storing foods

Heart disease

Research has consistently shown that lonely people have a higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Researchers at the University of York discovered that people who are isolated or feel lonely have a 29% higher risk of having heart disease and 32% higher risk of having a stroke when compared with their peers who were either well connected or at least felt like they were well-connected. Loneliness is also associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Read: Cardiovascular disease - Subtle signs you could have a heart problem

Dementia

Researchers found that chronic loneliness can interfere with normal brain functions and increase the risk of neurodegenerative disorders like dementia. Studies suggest that older adults living alone or staying in nursing homes and old age institutions have greater chances of developing dementia than their peers who live with their families. Read: 10 early warning signs; causes, ways to reduce your risk of dementia

Sleep problems

Feeling lonely can rob of your sleep. Loneliness, which is defined by researchers as a distressing feeling that people experience when they perceive their social relationships to be inadequate, has been linked to poor sleep quality. In fact, the association between loneliness and sleep quality remained even after the researchers accounted for symptoms of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, which are commonly associated with sleep problems and feeling lonely.

Early death

Studies suggest that loneliness may actually trigger genetic changes, which cause illness and premature death. Researchers revealed that lonely people have an increased risk of early death caused by stroke, heart attacks or other complications than those with good social connections. Read: Want to live forever? Top five tips that slow down ageing process