Hello! I am Liu Jian
Today is the 568th issue of Jian Ge said to accompany you
According to the Data of the Mainland Health Commission, as of November 1, 2020, the national elderly population aged 60 and above was 264 million, accounting for 18.7% of the total population; the elderly population aged 65 and above was 191 million, accounting for 13.5% of the total population[1].
At the same time, due to the rapid economic development of the mainland and the advancement of the urbanization process, more and more elderly people have become "empty nesters". The elderly cannot catch up with the pace of the times, the friends of the same age are getting fewer and fewer, and the social participation is getting lower and lower; they are not willing to add a burden to their children, and many empty nesters can only face the boring world alone, and the sense of loneliness is getting stronger and stronger.
Social isolation, loneliness and heart health
In medical research, there is a decrease in social participation, a decrease in the social relationships of individuals, or a rare social interaction with others, and this objective state is called "social isolation.". And feeling lonely, this subjective feeling is called "loneliness".
A recently published study found that social isolation and loneliness are strongly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease [2]. The study looked at nearly 60,000 older American women ages 65-99, and from 2011 to 2019, participants conducted two rounds of questionnaires on social isolation and loneliness, and the researchers analyzed the relationship between social isolation and loneliness levels and cardiovascular disease.
The results found that social isolation and loneliness increased cardiovascular disease risk by 8% and 5%, respectively, and if older women were at a higher level in both social isolation and loneliness, they had a 13% and 27% increased cardiovascular disease risk compared with older women with low levels of social isolation and low loneliness.
Studies have found that social isolation and loneliness may affect neuroendocrine, disrupt autonomic function, increase systolic blood pressure, trigger inflammatory response and enhance oxidative stress, which in turn induce hypertension, dyslipidemia, etc., promote atherosclerosis, and affect cardiovascular health. In addition, people who experience social isolation and loneliness experience more bad behaviors, such as smoking, lack of exercise, poor diet, etc., which may also induce cardiovascular disease.
How to get rid of loneliness
It has been said that loneliness is not in the mountains, but in the streets, not in one person, but in many people. According to 2018 data from mainland China, nearly one-third of younger seniors feel lonely, compared with more than 50 percent of older adults [1].
In fact, everyone will face loneliness, the essence of loneliness is to be estranged from others, and the degree of self-identity is relatively low, so alleviating loneliness needs to solve these two problems. For older adults, the following four types of activities can help alleviate loneliness:
1) When you feel lonely, give a call to a family member or friend, don't worry that the call will make others worry, they also want to hear your voice.
2) Get inner resonance and emotional distraction from reading and writing, and the companionship of books can also reduce loneliness.
3) Participate in group sports or learn a skill, and now many places to carry out universities for the elderly also provide places for activities and learning for the elderly.
4) If the physical conditions permit, you can also do a community volunteer, the so-called gift of roses has a lingering fragrance, to help others at the same time you have also been helped.
It is recommended that the elderly establish more contact with others and actively communicate with others, which can reduce social isolation; open their hearts, understand themselves, accept themselves, feel good from the small things around them, and fight loneliness with a full life.
Brother Jian said
Social isolation refers to the objective state of reduced social participation, reduced social relations of individuals, or little social interaction with others; loneliness refers to the subjective feeling of feeling lonely.
The study found that severe social isolation and loneliness can affect the physical and mental health of older adults, especially in older women at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The elderly should make more contact with others, and understand and accept their inner feelings, improve their self-identification, and fight loneliness with a full life and heart.
Today's content is finished, and the next issue is more exciting.
Heart health knowledge is in "Jian Ge Says Heart"
We'll see you next time.
"On the Heart" - Medicine, Health and Lifestyle of the Heart
Works by Professor Liu Jian