Five years later, Julianne published another massive analysis of data confirming the higher risk of early death among the lonely.18 By that point, a growing number of research papers were reporting that loneliness was associated with a greater risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, depression, and anxiety. Studies were also suggesting that lonely people were more likely to have lower-quality sleep, more immune system dysfunction, more impulsive behavior, and impaired judgment.19
