BYU Professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad on the loneliness epidemic and the power of connection

After months defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people across the globe are longing for social connection. This episode of the Church News podcast features Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, who addresses the long-term health effects of social connection. According to her research, isolation and loneliness are risk factors for early mortality. Dr. Holt-Lunstad has worked with government organizations aimed at addressing the issue. She has also provided expert testimony in a U.S. congressional hearing and expert recommendations to the U.S. surgeon general. She talks about how human connection is the key to fighting the current loneliness epidemic and shares tools to eliminate loneliness in ourselves and others.  The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.