LONELINESS: Britney Spears may have been on to something with her hit “Baby One More Time.”

Studies show loneliness is killing people. A study showed 67,375 Pennsylvania seniors had no meaningful contact in January.

Chronic loneliness isn’t just emotionally painful — research shows it can increase the risk of premature death as much as heavy smoking, making social isolation one of America’s most overlooked health threats. And with the U.S. now facing a nationwide loneliness epidemic, winter becomes an especially dangerous season.

To understand just how widespread the problem is, Choice Mutual, surveyed 3,025 seniors aged 65-plus (who live alone) at the end of January and asked a single, simple question:

“Has anyone checked in on you since Jan. 1?”

Staggeringly, 26% said no, meaning more than one in four seniors (who live alone) had gone an entire month without any meaningful interaction.

When compared across the country, the study found that 1-in-3 (33%) seniors in Pennsylvania went a full month without any meaningful interaction, equating to 67,375 of those living alone.

The survey also found that even those living with a partner aren’t immune as 65% admit they still sometimes feel alone despite sharing a home.

A striking 74% of seniors living alone say winter is when their loneliness feels at its worst.

For many, loneliness isn’t just the absence of company — it’s the feeling of fading out of view as 68% say they feel forgotten or invisible during the winter months.

Support networks aren’t guaranteed; 29% of seniors living alone say they do not have even one person they can confide in during difficult times, while 58% worry their loneliness is already harming their health.

The survey revealed that 64% say their well-being would improve if someone reached out more often.