Health experts, psychologists, and happiness researchers all agree that social connections are important to our well-being.
“All available research on happy people suggests that happy people are more social, spend more time physically around other people, and invest time in their friends and family,” Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos told CNBC Make It in 2024.
Still, around 21% of 13- to 17-year-olds and 17% of 18- to 29-year-olds experience loneliness, according to a June 2025 World Health Organization report.
And a study published this month in the journal Pros One found that young people, especially young women, who have recently experienced life changes, such as the end of a relationship or a major move, are among the groups who experience higher levels of loneliness.
That’s true even if they report having a friend in their life.
So what can people do to stop feeling lonely? Best-selling author, speaker, and wellness leader Deepak Chopra has a simple answer.
Research shows that having at least six one-on-one conversations a day can improve everything in your life.
Chopra recently launched a wellness platform that offers guided meditations, a community discussion board, and an AI chatbot from decades of work.
Chopra also has a recipe for better social engagement.
Chopra says simple ways to make the most of your social connections
Chopra believes that every interaction should include what he calls the “4 As.”
Attention, which means “deep listening.” Affection, or the feeling of “you have my back, I’ll have yours.” Gratitude, which means remembering that “everyone is a universe in which to walk.” Acceptance.
The “four A’s” can be text messages or in-person conversations, but the key is to “talk to six people every day and do it with care, attention, and love,” he says.
Even sending a “thinking of you” emoji to a loved one is “better than nothing,” he says, especially if you’re having a busy day and don’t have time to call people.
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