Researchers from the University of Vienna have found that an eight-hour period of social isolation can cause a decrease in energy levels equivalent to going without food for the same amount of time. This effect, suggesting that low energy may be a human response to a lack of social contact, was seen both in laboratory settings and during the COVID-19 lockdowns, with more sociable individuals experiencing lower energy levels during isolation.
Just as prolonged periods without food trigger a series of biological reactions that result in the sensation of hunger, our nature as social beings dictates that we also require the company of others for our survival. Evidence indicates that an absence of social interaction can provoke a craving response in our brains similar to hunger, driving us to seek out social connection again.
“In the lab study, we found striking similarities between social isolation and food deprivation. Both states induced lowered energy and heightened fatigue, which is surprising given that food deprivation literally makes us lose energy, while social isolation would not”, first authors Ana Stijovic and Paul Forbes said.