Most adults, especially parents, can understand the importance of sleep, often due to the fact that we get so little of it. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation can have both physical and emotional consequences, including depression, obesity, and diabetes, so it's important to get enough sleep. Despite this fact, many of us function with sleep deficits, and there are numerous reasons why — from the rigors of daily life, to stress, anxiety, and lifestyle choices. Now, feelings of loneliness may be added to that list.

That is because a new study has found that loneliness can not only lead to a heavy heart, but may also impair a person's ability to get a good night's sleep. To better understand this, researchers studied the sleep cycles of a group of close-knit people in a rural part of the country. None of the individuals were socially isolated, but this did not necessarily mean that they were not lonely. In fact, the researchers noted that there were varied levels of loneliness within the group, and higher levels of loneliness were linked to higher levels of disrupted sleep.

The current study, published in the journal Sleep, supports previous research conducted by the American Psychological Society that found that college students who felt lonely experienced more fragmented sleep, despite being in the midst of a large social environment. Both studies indicate that loneliness and social isolation are not the same thing. Whereas social isolation can refer to the actual physical separation from a group of people, loneliness stems from a difference between a person's desired level of socialization and their actual level of socialization, whether it is real of perceived.

These feelings of loneliness can affect how much sleep a person gets, which can in turn affect a person's quality of life. Despite this fact, sleep deprivation seems to be increasingly common in our society, even in young children. With the demands of work, school, and family, many of us seem to be getting less and less sleep. This lack of rest has been linked to several health problems, some of which can have serious consequences. It is therefore important to give sleep the attention it deserves and work towards getting more of it. This includes making the right lifestyle choices.

Unfortunately, loneliness can be a complicated matter, and feelings of isolation can arise even when a person is surrounded by social opportunities. Though there is not a universal solution to loneliness, a person can increase their chances of connecting with a person or group by surrounding themselves with people and seeking out individuals with similar interests or backgrounds.

If you wrestle with feelings of isolation, try talking to someone about it, whether it is a relative, a friend, or a professional. For more information, visit Web of Loneliness.

To learn more about the importance of sleep, speak with your doctor and visit the National Sleep Foundation.