People who reported frequent loneliness had a 14 percent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation. For those experiencing persistent or long-term loneliness, the risk nearly doubled.
Published Jul 29, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 29, 2025 | 3:14 PM
The interaction between loneliness and anxiety was found to be statistically significant, suggesting that these emotional states may have a compounded effect on heart health.
Synopsis: Persistent loneliness, especially when combined with anxiety or depression, significantly increases the risk of atrial fibrillation – a common heart rhythm disorder linked to stroke and heart failure. The research, based on data from over three lakh individuals in the UK, revealed that those experiencing both loneliness and anxiety faced more than twice the risk of developing the condition.
Loneliness may be doing more than just making you feel low; it may also have a direct, measurable effect on heart health.
People who frequently feel lonely are more likely to develop atrial fibrillation, a common but potentially serious heart rhythm disorder that increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, according to a major new study.
Published in the journal Heart Rhythm, the findings come from a team of researchers in China, including Shiqi Liu, Haibo Tang and Jie Wang from the Clinical Research Centre of the Third Xiangya Hospital at Central South University.
The research aimed to determine whether loneliness and social isolation, combined with psychological distress such as depression or anxiety, were linked to the onset of atrial fibrillation.
The team examined data from 319,901 adults enrolled in the UK Biobank. All participants had no prior history of atrial fibrillation at the beginning of the study and had complete records related to social isolation and loneliness.
The researchers also explored how psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, might interact with feelings of loneliness to influence the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation.
And the answer? Yes, especially when it comes to loneliness.
The study’s findings showed that people who reported frequent loneliness had a 14 percent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation. For those experiencing persistent or long-term loneliness, the risk nearly doubled.
Interestingly, social isolation on its own, such as living alone or having fewer social interactions, did not show a strong association with atrial fibrillation. The results suggest that it is not simply about the number of people around you, but whether you feel emotionally connected to them.
Individuals dealing with both loneliness and anxiety had a 2.3-times greater risk of developing the condition.
When anxiety and depression join the mix
The study also found an alarming pattern: when loneliness co-occurred with symptoms of anxiety or depression, the risk of atrial fibrillation rose sharply.
Individuals who experienced both loneliness and depression had a 42 percent higher risk, while those reporting loneliness together with anxiety faced a 130 percent higher risk.
The interaction between loneliness and anxiety was found to be statistically significant, suggesting that these emotional states may have a compounded effect on heart health.
“The combination of loneliness and anxiety had a significant interaction effect, amplifying the risk of atrial fibrillation beyond the impact of either factor alone,” the researchers noted.
This points to a synergistic effect, where emotional stressors not only add up but may also intensify each other in ways that directly influence heart function.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide. With ageing populations and rising mental health concerns, researchers say that emotional well-being must be considered alongside physical health in efforts to prevent such conditions.
Dr Mahesh G, a noted psychiatrist based in Bengaluru, partly agrees with the study’s findings.
“Many young professionals live alone, away from their families, and work long hours. While they may appear physically fit, their emotional stress levels are often very high,” he told South First.
“Since stress is a proven factor in heart-related ailments, there is definitely a need to consider emotional and psychological aspects as part of overall health assessments.”
Dr Abhijith Vilas Kulkarni, a well-known interventional cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals in Bengaluru, acknowledged the challenge of directly measuring stress and its impact on the heart due to its subjective nature. However, he said there is strong scientific evidence linking chronic psychological stress to heart conditions, including atrial fibrillation.
He explained that stress ranges from situational to chronic, and its influence on heart health is well documented, particularly through inflammatory pathways.
At the same time, he cautioned against interpreting this link as direct causation.
“Stress is a highly subjective experience – one person may feel fine while another with the same triggers feels overwhelmed. But what we know for sure is that chronic stress and loneliness can aggravate heart problems through inflammatory mechanisms,” Dr Kulkarni told South First.
“Whether it’s atrial fibrillation or coronary artery disease, stress is now seen as a significant contributing factor.”
Meanwhile, Dr Mukherjee, an interventional cardiologist from Telangana says the findings of this particular study shows an often overlooked aspect of heart health.
“We often think of atrial fibrillation as a problem of age, blood pressure and cholesterol. This study reminds us that the heart is also a social organ,” he told South First.
“It shows that people who feel lonely for a long time are more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat, even when their other risk factors are under control. The absence of company does not seem to harm the heart in the same way but the feeling of being alone does. It is a subtle but important difference.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
