Loneliness may harm your heart: Cardiologist reveals 5 habits he avoids after performing 8,000 surgeries

Can loneliness increase heart disease risk? A heart surgeon with experience of 8,000 surgeries reveals five habits he avoids, including smoking, ultra-processed foods, inactivity, chronic stress and loneliness, backed by emerging cardiovascular research.

New Delhi: A healthy heart is often associated with what sits on the dinner plate or how many steps are logged in a day. But one of the less obvious threats may be much harder to measure: how connected we feel to other people. US heart surgeon Dr Jeremy London, who says he has performed around 8,000 heart surgeries over more than 25 years, has highlighted five everyday habits he avoids to protect his cardiovascular health – and loneliness makes the list.

In a recent social-media post highlighted by Times of India, London identified smoking, ultra-processed foods, a sedentary lifestyle, loneliness and chronic stress as behaviours or circumstances he tries to avoid. His message is less about chasing perfect health and more about reducing preventable cardiovascular risks through consistent daily choices.

Can loneliness really affect the heart

Yes – research increasingly supports an association between loneliness, social isolation and cardiovascular disease. Importantly, loneliness does not mean simply living alone. It describes the distressing feeling of lacking meaningful connection, while social isolation refers more objectively to having limited social contact.

The American Heart Association’s scientific statement on the subject found that social isolation and loneliness were........

© News9Live