Why Community Is One of the Most Overlooked Foundations of Health

When most people think about improving their health, they focus on things like nutrition, exercise, sleep, or supplements. And while those habits absolutely matter, there’s another powerful factor that often gets overlooked: Human connection.

Loneliness and social isolation have profound effects on both mental and physical health. In fact, research shows that strong social relationships are one of the most important predictors of long-term health and longevity.

At Move Holistic Health & Nutrition in Chester, Vermont, community is one of our foundational pillars of health for this very reason. Health isn’t just about what you eat or how you move your body — it’s also about feeling connected, supported, and understood.

Before diving into the science, I want to share why this topic matters so deeply to me.

There was a period in my life when I felt incredibly lonely. I didn’t have many close friendships, I was in a romantic relationship that was toxic, and I didn’t feel very connected to my family.

Even when you're around people, loneliness can still exist if you don’t feel safe, supported, or truly seen.

That experience showed me how deeply isolation can impact your overall well-being. I never want people to feel the level of loneliness that I experienced during that season of life.

That’s why when we talk about mastering the basics of health, we can’t ignore the role of community and connection.

Because humans are biologically wired for it.

The Science Behind Loneliness and Physical Health

Over the past two decades, research has increasingly shown that loneliness isn’t just an emotional experience — it also affects the body’s biology.

Studies have linked chronic loneliness to higher risk of:

• Cardiovascular disease

• Depression and anxiety

• Cognitive decline

• Weakened immune function

• Premature mortality

A large meta-analysis published in Perspectives on Psychological Science found that social isolation increases the risk of early death by 26–32%. Researchers often compare this increased mortality risk to major lifestyle factors like smoking or obesity.

So why does loneliness affect our health so dramatically? The answer lies in how our brains interpret safety.

How Loneliness Activates the Stress Response

Humans evolved to live in groups. For most of human history, being socially isolated meant being more vulnerable to danger. Because of this, our brains developed systems that constantly scan our environment for signs of safety or threat.

Connection signals safety.

Isolation signals potential danger.

When someone experiences chronic loneliness, the brain activates the body’s stress response system — specifically the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

This leads to increased production of the stress hormone cortisol.

Cortisol plays an important role in normal body function, but when levels remain elevated over long periods of time, it can begin to disrupt many systems in the body.

Chronically elevated cortisol has been associated with:

• Increased inflammation

• Blood sugar dysregulation

• Digestive disturbances

• Poor sleep quality

• Hormone imbalances

• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

  
  

In other words, loneliness can keep the body in a chronic stress state.

Loneliness, Inflammation, and the Immune System

One of the most fascinating areas of research around loneliness involves inflammation.

Studies show that individuals experiencing chronic social isolation often have higher levels of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream, including:

• C-reactive protein (CRP)

• Interleukin-6 (IL-6)

These inflammatory molecules are associated with many chronic health conditions when they remain elevated long-term. Researchers believe this happens because the immune system shifts how it prioritizes threats. When the brain senses social disconnection, the body may prepare for potential physical danger by increasing inflammatory responses — historically preparing for wounds or injury.

This biological pattern is known as the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA). Essentially, when the brain perceives isolation as a threat, the body enters survival mode — even if no actual danger exists.

How Social Connection Supports the Nervous System

Social connection also plays an important role in regulating the autonomic nervous system, which controls the body’s stress and recovery responses. Our nervous system has two primary states:

Sympathetic nervous system: The “fight or flight” stress response.

Parasympathetic nervous system: The “rest and digest” state that supports healing, digestion, hormone balance, and immune function.

Positive social interactions help activate the parasympathetic system through a nerve called the vagus nerve.

Simple experiences like laughing with a friend, having a meaningful conversation, physical touch, eye contact, and feeling emotionally understood can increase vagal tone, which helps regulate heart rate, lower stress hormones, and promote relaxation. In other words, connection helps shift the body into a state where healing and regulation can happen.

Why You Can’t Fully Optimize Health Without Connection

Someone might be doing many things right from a health perspective.

They may:

• Eat nutrient-dense foods

• Get enough sleep

• Stay hydrated

• Exercise regularly

But if they feel deeply alone, their nervous system may still interpret the world as unsafe. And when the body stays in a chronic stress state, it becomes much harder to support hormone balance, digestion, immune function, and overall well-being.

This is why community is such an important foundation of health.

What Community Actually Looks Like

Community doesn’t mean you need a huge social circle or dozens of close friendships.

Research shows that the quality of relationships matters far more than quantity. Even one or two supportive relationships can significantly improve emotional and physical well-being. Community can look simple and accessible.

It might be:

• A weekly walk with a friend

• A church or faith group

• A book club

• A fitness class where you recognize familiar faces

• A women’s circle

• A wellness program where people support each other

These environments create something incredibly powerful — a sense of belonging.

Belonging reduces shame, increases self-compassion, and reminds people they are not alone in their experiences. When women support each other and share their journeys openly, healing becomes easier and more sustainable.

Healing Happens Faster in Community

When people pursue health goals in isolation, it can be easy to fall into comparison, self-criticism, or discouragement. But when healing happens in community, something shifts. People begin to feel seen. They stop believing they are broken. They realize many of their struggles are shared by others. And that sense of support often helps people stay consistent with healthy habits over time.

If You’re Experiencing Loneliness

If you’re in a season of life where you feel lonely, please know that you are not alone in that experience. Loneliness is far more common than many people realize. Taking even one small step toward connection can begin to shift both emotional well-being and physical health.

That step might look like:

• Reaching out to a friend

• Joining a group activity

• Attending a community event

• Participating in a wellness program

  
  

Connection is not just a social luxury — it’s a biological need.

Because health was never meant to be pursued alone.

We are wired for connection, and sometimes one of the most powerful health practices we can adopt is simply choosing to build community.

References

Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., & Thisted, R. A. (2010). Perceived social isolation makes me sad: 5-year cross-lagged analyses of loneliness and depressive symptomatology in the Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study. Psychology and Aging, 25(2), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017216

Cacioppo, J. T., & Cacioppo, S. (2014). Social relationships and health: The toxic effects of perceived social isolation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8(2), 58–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12087

Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352

Holt-Lunstad, J. (2017). The potential public health relevance of social isolation and loneliness: Prevalence, epidemiology, and risk factors. Public Policy & Aging Report, 27(4), 127–130. https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prx030

House, J. S., Landis, K. R., & Umberson, D. (1988). Social relationships and health. Science, 241(4865), 540–545. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3399889

Slavich, G. M., & Irwin, M. R. (2014). From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: A social signal transduction theory of depression. Psychological Bulletin, 140(3), 774–815. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035302

Cole, S. W. (2013). Social regulation of human gene expression: Mechanisms and implications for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 103(S1), S84–S92. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301183

Cole, S. W., Hawkley, L. C., Arevalo, J. M. G., Sung, C. Y., Rose, R. M., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). Social regulation of gene expression in human leukocytes. Genome Biology, 8(9), R189. https://doi.org/10.1186/gb-2007-8-9-r189

Porges, S. W. (2007). The polyvagal perspective. Biological Psychology, 74(2), 116–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.06.009

Umberson, D., & Karas Montez, J. (2010). Social relationships and health: A flashpoint for health policy. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 51(1_suppl), S54–S66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383501