Isolation Takes a Toll

Addressing loneliness, depression, and anxiety

There are social and health consequences in this pandemic. In the New Yorker, writer Robin Wright reminds readers that loneliness isn’t just a feeling but a “biological warning signal to seek out other humans.”

Isolation can lead to lethargy, anxiety, and depression, which you may have already noticed while cooped up at home. With the help of researchers who study isolation, Emma Grey Ellis at Wired reassures readers that there are ways to maintain physical and mental health during this time, like exercise or reaching out to friends and family.

And who knows isolation better than astronauts? Today, in an online town hall dubbed #SpaceConnectsUs, astronauts with the European Space Agency will share their techniques for coping in confined spaces and offer inspiration for everyone stuck at home. The English-language version runs at 3 p.m. Eastern time on ESA’s YouTube channel.