Page |45 inflammatory disease in individuals who twice as great in lonely than in experience chronically high levels of nonlonely individuals. In addition, loneliness.” loneliness was associated with lower The effects of loneliness are not cognitive ability at baseline and with a limited to an increase in health- more rapid decline in cognition during threatening processes. Loneliness has the 4-year follow-up. Similar results also been associated with a decrease in were reported for a sample of 75-85- health-restoring processes. Sleep is the year-old individuals over a 10-year quintessential example. Much of what follow-up. feels stressful and depressing at the end The effects of loneliness on of a long day is perceived differently cognition are evident at an even more following a good night’s sleep. Good fundamental level.'' Self-regulation, or quality sleep is the clincher. Lonely and the ability to regulate one’s attention, non-lonely individuals do not differ in cognition, emotion, and/or behavior to the amount of sleep they get, but lonely better meet social standards or personal people have poorer sleep quality than do goals, is impaired in lonely individuals. non-lonely people. They experience For instance, among young adults, more micro-awakenings during the night instructions to shift auditory attention and they awake feeling more tired and from the dominant right ear to the non- less capable of meeting the demands of dominant left ear resulted in impaired the day. Poor sleep has been associated performance in lonely relative to with elevated blood pressure and nonlonely individuals. Loneliness also cardiovascular mortality, and this may alters emotion regulation. In middle- help to explain the poorer health aged and older adults, loneliness was outcomes of chronically lonely associated with a diminished tendency to individuals. In short, lonely days extend capitalize on positive emotions, and this into the nights and lessen the restorative explained why l