10 Ways to Tackle Loneliness

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.}