Loneliness dips in middle age but peaks in youth and later life, study shows

Loneliness dips in middle age but peaks in youth and later life, study shows.

New research reveals how loneliness in adulthood peaks during our youngest and oldest years, forming a U-shaped curve that dips during our middle ages
New research reveals how loneliness in adulthood peaks during our youngest and oldest years, forming a U-shaped curve that dips during our middle ages
Lee Bell
Lee Bell Meteored United Kingdom 5 min

While loneliness might seem like a personal issue, it manifests in patterns that can tell us a lot about society as a whole. That's according to recent findings by Northwestern University, which reveals how loneliness in adulthood peaks during our youngest and oldest years, forming a U-shaped curve that dips during our middle ages.

The study demonstrates how this interesting pattern was consistent across nine global studies, offering a glimpse into a problem that's more complex and widespread than we might have previously realised.

Conducted before the world got turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, the research involved diverse groups from places like the UK, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia and the US. The results don’t just map out when adults feel most lonely, they start to dig into the reasons behind it.

The study's author and an associate professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Eileen Graham, highlighted the significance of the findings:

"What was striking was how consistent the uptick in loneliness is in older adulthood,” she said. “There’s a wealth of evidence that loneliness is related to poorer health, so we wanted to better understand who is lonely and why people are becoming lonelier as they age out of midlife so we can hopefully start finding ways to mitigate it.”

The research pinpoints several risk factors for persistent loneliness across one's lifespan, including social isolation, sex, education, and physical impairment. Women, less educated individuals, those with lower incomes and persons with physical or mental health challenges were more likely to experience enduring loneliness, the research said. Relationship status also plays a role, with those who are divorced or widowed feeling more isolated.

While middle-aged adults report lower levels of loneliness, the reasons are not thoroughly explored in the study. However, Graham suggests that the various social interactions that come with life in the middle-ages - such as marriage, work and community engagements - might be the buffer against loneliness since this demographic often finds themselves embedded in social networks through their children, work and community roles.

However, she notes that the relationship between social interaction and loneliness is complex. “You can have a lot of social interaction and still be lonely or, alternatively, be relatively isolated and not feel lonely,” Graham added.

Younger adults are different

On the other end of the spectrum are younger adults, who face a different scenario. Co-author of the study and assistant professor of psychology at University of California, Tomiko Yoneda said the transition into adult life can be challenging and may lead to increased feelings of isolation as young people struggle to find and establish their place in the world.

“As people age and develop through young adulthood into midlife, they start to set down roots and become established, solidifying adult friend groups, social networks and life partners,” Yoneda said.

“We do have evidence that married people tend to be less lonely, so for older adults who are not married, finding ongoing points of meaningful social contact will likely help mitigate the risk of persistent loneliness.”

Looking forward, Graham envisions a role for general practitioners (GPs) in mitigating this widespread issue. She suggested that one day, GPs could assess levels of loneliness during regular wellness visits to help identify those who might be most at risk.