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Health, Longevity & Biohacking

Loneliness ‘like smoking 11 to 15 cigarettes a day’, Coughlin says

By Egleze Editorial Desk · Published July 31, 2026 · The Mel Robbins Podcast · MIT Longevity Expert: Do These 3 Things Now to Stay Young, Live Longer, & Keep Doing What You Love
Loneliness ‘like smoking 11 to 15 cigarettes a day’, Coughlin says
The Mel Robbins Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast
MIT Longevity Expert: Do These 3 Things Now to Stay Young, Live Longer, & Keep Doing What You Love
"“Some really great research done by Julianne Halt Lstead suggests that do you know that being lonely or social isolation has the physical health impact of smoking 11 to 15 cigarettes per day.”"
Discussing the importance of a ‘social portfolio’ in older age, Coughlin cites research he attributes to Julianne Holt-Lunstad comparing the health impact of loneliness and social isolation to heavy smoking. He presents social connection as a predictor of ageing outcomes, beyond retirement finances and medical care.
From this episode
The Mel Robbins Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast

MIT Longevity Expert: Do These 3 Things Now to Stay Young, Live Longer, & Keep Doing What You Love

July 30, 2026 · 1h 18m · 5 Egleze moments
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