The loneliness cure: How to break the cycle and build connections

Published February 14, 2025 at 8:50 AM EST

A recent Gallup Poll showed that 1 in 5 American adults reports feeling lonely every single day. It's something that U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called a "national epidemic of loneliness and isolation." We hear from Murthy about the broader impact of loneliness.

Then, experts say that loneliness and social isolation carry the same health risks as smoking. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychology and neuroscience professor, joins us to discuss how to break the cycle of loneliness and build more social connections in our lives.

And, the longest scientific study of happiness has found that strong relationships stand out as the key. Dr. Robert Waldinger talks about what the study shows about the importance of relationships, how they benefit overall health, and how we can improve our own personal connections at any stage of life.

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