Did you ever feel sad or lonely when you went to sleep at night? You woke up feeling tired and on edge, not refreshed. This is not a common occurrence. Your emotional state at night can have a profound impact on your body’s stress response.
Additionally, the absence of contact due to sitting in front a computer screen (I am certainly guilty of this) cannot be substituted for human contact and person-to-person interaction.
According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “Prior-day feelings of sadness, loneliness, threat, and lack of management were associated with a higher cortisol awaken response the next morning.” Cortisol can flood the brain and body, causing it to slow down our immune system. It has been shown that cortisol can also reduce T-cells. In addition, cortisol has been shown not to kill NK cells. These are important immune cells that fight viruses and some types of cancer.
Imagine feeling lonely for days, weeks, or even longer. Chronic stress can lead to chronic health problems. It has been shown that 8 out of 10 medications prescribed for stress symptoms are actually prescribed. This is where mindfulness comes in.
How Mindfulness Transforms Me into We
Mindfulness is often misunderstood as a way to notice what happens through your sense doors. For example, being conscious of thoughts and emotions. True, it may be true. But, that would make mindfulness a lonely, isolated form of mindfulness. Mindfulness teaches us how mindfulness can help reduce suffering. This is how we see ourselves in the people around us, the earth, the water, the plants and all other creatures.
To see deeply in another person is to see oneself.
It’s commonplace in our culture to place a high value upon our independence. When I visited the monastery, and shared my first meal with monks, the illusion of independence was broken for me. A nearby Burmese community brought all our food and served it to us.
This kind act of kindness and the realization that every morsel of food we eat comes from a complex network of being, including the sun, rain, natural nutrients, human effort, and humanity, humbled me. As a result, I felt closer to others and developed gratitude for all that makes life possible.
If you haven’t already guessed, relationships is the “one word to fight off loneliness and viruses”. Because our connections to the world are expressed in multiples, I deliberately use the plural form.
If you feel lonely the next night, keep in mind that your body is listening to your emotional and social experiences. It is this that makes it so important.
Your body will increase your cortisol levels if you feel isolated and without support. This will prepare you for stressful situations.
Mindfulness Prescription to Protect Against Viruses and the Dark Clouds Of Loneliness
Establish positive, mutually satisfying relationships. Although this can be difficult, the greatest mountain climber can only take one step at the time. Begin today by making a small, yet important step to connect you with someone else. You may not be able to communicate with others. Take the initiative and reach for help by taking one of these actions:
- One person can make you laugh or smile.
- Send a text message to someone you know and wish them a good night.
- Before you go to bed, physically give someone close a hug or kiss.
- Reach out to lonely people.
- Recall a positive interaction that you had earlier in the day with someone.
- Keep a journal of your positive experience with someone else that you have shared with in the past week or day.
Conclusion:
It is not weakness to reach out to someone in times of sadness or loneliness. You’re tapping into the interwoven web relationships humans were created to foster and benefit from. Simply Mindful provides helpful reflections and practices for relationships. Be mindful of how you feel throughout the day. Allow yourself to be open to the many personalities that inhabit this planet. This is a great way to have fun. You’re sure to find one or two people you can have a good night with.
