10 Ways to Tackle Loneliness

Humans are social beings, wired to connect with others. Having strong connections with other people is every bit as important as diet and exercise for health and well-being. But these social ties have weakened over the past two decades, as U.S. adults spend less time with friends and family and more time alone. In a 2025 AARP survey, 40 percent of U.S. adults age 45 and older report being lonely, up from 35 percent in 2018.

When we feel disconnected from others, our health can suffer. Research has linked chronic loneliness to a higher risk of heart disease and death. And a study of 64,861 adults with a mean age of 67, published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics in 2026, found that the loneliest participants were more likely to experience memory decline. A 2023 U.S. Surgeon General advisory noted that social isolation can increase the risk of developing dementia by approximately 50 percent in older adults, even after controlling for demographics and health status.

You can combat loneliness by investing in your relationships, especially the ones that enhance your life and make you feel good. Doing so will benefit your body and your brain. One study of nearly 17,000 adults age 50 and older published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2025 found that people who reported feeling lonely but were able to reduce their loneliness over time lowered their risk of dementia by 33 percent.

And a 2024 AARP survey of people age 50-plus found that 74 percent of respondents cited in-person socializing as being the key to their happiness. Here are some tips to help you strengthen relationships and expand your social network.

1. Invest time in nurturing your relationships through consistent, frequent and high-quality engagement with others. Each day, reach out to a friend or family member.
2. Minimize distraction during conversations to improve the quality of time you spend with others. For instance, don’t check your phone during meals with friends or during family time.
3. Seek opportunities to serve and support others. You can help family members, coworkers, friends or strangers in your community through community service.
4. Be responsive, supportive and practice gratitude. When you do so, others may reciprocate and you can strengthen social bonds, improve relationship satisfaction and build social capital.
5. Actively engage with people of different backgrounds and experiences to expand your understanding and relationships with a wider circle of people.
6. Participate in social and community groups. Choose among fitness, religious, hobby, professional and community service organizations to foster a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose.
7. Reduce practices that lead to feelings of disconnection from others. Avoid harmful and excessive social media use, time spent in unhealthy relationships and disproportionate time in front of screens instead of people.
8. Seek help during times of struggle. If you’re feeling lonely or isolated, reach out to a family member, friend, counselor or health care provider.
9. Be open with your health care provider about social changes in your life. It may help them understand potential health impacts and guide them to provide recommendations for you to reduce health risks.
10. Make time for civic engagement. This could include being a positive and constructive participant in political discourse and gatherings (e.g., town halls, school board meetings, local government hearings).

_{Source for these tips: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, 2023.}