In an interesting study, researchers have found that living alone for several years can impact the inflammation in the body. This was more evident in men than women and the effect increased with more years lived alone. Apart from that, having too many breakups was also a factor that increased inflammation, particularly in men.
Inflammation In Men Is Strongly Linked To Serial Breakups & Living Alone
The researchers suggested that the inflammation was mild but persistent in most cases, and it was also related to age and other health issues. The most common factor that influences people after a breakup is poor mental health, as they have to deal with so many issues.
Apart from that, several years of living alone can also affect the overall health condition of most people, and it can lead to low immunity. In some cases, people socialize less after such important events, and they tend to have a low profile for many years. This can also affect mental health and cause various illnesses, and it is commonly seen in people who divorce after many years of marriage.
The researchers were keen to find out the impact breakups had on the immune system, and it is also considered the number of breakups and number of years lived alone to arrive at the conclusions.
Along with that, the researchers also took into account the social background of individuals and the age group of participants, as this had a direct impact on their reaction to the breakups. As many as 5000 participants in the age group of 48 to 62 were considered for the research.
When it came to categorizing the participants, the people who lived alone for under one year were classified into one group, and those who lived alone for 2 to 6 years were classified into another group. Apart from that, a separate group was made for people who had lived alone for more than seven years. The researchers also took into account the nature of breakups as some participants had taken divorce while others had lost their partners.
Yet another interesting aspect of the research was that the educational background and financial status of the participants were also considered while arriving at the conclusions. All these factors, along with lifestyle habits like smoking and alcohol consumption, had a direct impact on the overall physical and mental health condition of the participants. It was clearly established that participants who consumed steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs had more problems when compared to others who had a healthy lifestyle.
The blood samples of the participants were analyzed for inflammatory markers and reactive protein levels. The highest level of inflammation was found in those participants who had more breakups in the past and who had lived alone for more than seven years. Researchers say that men tend to externalize their feelings after a breakup, and they may take up drinking and other activities to compensate for the loss. This can have an impact on the inflammation levels in some manner.
Even though the study included women, the number was small, and it can lead to inconclusive results. However, it was clearly evident that men suffered more after multiple breakups as dealing with physical and mental health issues is a difficult task for them. When the number of breakups was small and the number of years lived alone was less, the problem was significantly lower.
The researchers also say that the level of inflammation among the participants was low, but they can still impact the overall health in the long run. For this reason, more research is needed into studying one-person households across the country to mitigate health risks among such people.
