In this episode, Sophia and I discuss the epidemic of loneliness, which millions are suffering from around the world.
We open with the surprising detrimental effects that loneliness has on our mental and physical health, like how it rewires our brains and increases inflammation markers.

What's tricky about loneliness, however, is that we often can't just go out and remedy the issue, because it's contingent on our social skills, the nature of our communities and the proximity of loved ones. Complicated right? 

What we didn't speak about is how much more prevalent loneliness is in marginalized racial groups, people with low incomes and those who struggle with mental health issues. With this understanding, as we move through the holiday season, perhaps we can be aware of those people in our community who might be at a greater risk and extend ourselves to them in a way that's safe for all. 

Because we're human, we've both had personal experiences with loneliness, which we share about along with the tools we used to move through it. We can all take action to create a more connected life and we share a few easy things that we can implement starting today.

Sophia finishes with her amazing debut song, Lonely, which she co-wrote with Juno Award Winner Meaghan Smith and ECMA Award Winning Producer, Jason Mingo. Lonely is now streaming on all platforms, so please download the song, have a listen and let us know your thoughts on her intriguing  preference to be lonely instead of surviving in a toxic relationship. Congratulations Sophia and thanks everyone for being a part of the SPARK community!