One is the loneliest number
When you're assessing your risk of heart disease, one important factor isn't what you eat or what medicines you take, but who you live with, or whether you live with anyone at all.
If you live alone, the last thing you want to worry about is whether you're going to suffer a heart attack, die on the floor, and not be found until days later. According to one study, living alone doesn't just put you at risk for dying alone, but it actually increases your risk of a heart attack and cardiac death.
In the study, Danish researchers kept track of 138,000 adults (between the ages of 30 and 69), who all lived in the same region of Denmark, for two years. During the study, 646 people suffered heart attacks, severe chest pains, or sudden cardiac death. And the most common links among those people were age and the fact that they lived alone.
For example, women older than 60 who lived by themselves made up only 5 percent of the people participating in the study. But they also accounted for a third of all recorded deaths. And men over 50 who lived alone only accounted for 8 percent of the study participants, but made up 2/3 of the heart-related deaths.
One thing the researchers found—which could explain why living alone increases your heart disease risks—is that people who live by themselves tend to have more of the risk factors and poor lifestyle choices known for causing heart problems, such as obesity, smoking, fewer doctors visits, and high cholesterol.
Now I can't go and find you a roommate. And I completely understand that you may not want to live in assisted living or a nursing home. But there are definitely things you can do to avoid that kind of lonely demise.
First of all, don't let boredom or loneliness entice you into eating more junk food or shunning exercise. In fact, if you live by yourself, exercise could be just what you need to get out there and meet people, and to avoid loneliness-induced depression.
Next, you need to make sure you do all that you can to fight off loneliness by having someone watch out for you. Do you have children? Neighbors? Swallow your pride and ask them to check on you every day.
Finally, try volunteering at your local hospital or nursing home. The camaraderie and good feelings you'll get from doing good works for others could help encourage you to live happy and healthy in other areas of your life.
