Feeling anti-social? You're not alone. But here's why it could hurt your health.

Main Idea: Experts, including Dr. Vivek Murthy, say Americans are spending more time alone, and that growing loneliness can hurt both mental and physical health.

Key Points:

• Murthy has called loneliness a public health epidemic and says community can improve life satisfaction and even life expectancy.
• Prolonged loneliness is linked to anxiety, depression, worse sleep, weaker immune health, and higher risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and early death.
• Maggie Tipton says phones and digital life can crowd out real face-to-face time, while more people living alone has added to the problem.
• Experts say people can ease back into social life by starting with small interactions, planning time with others, and getting help if loneliness feels hard to manage.