Americans crave more alone time, especially during the holidays: Study

Dec 4

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Producer/Video Editor)

While the surgeon general has declared loneliness an epidemic in the U.S., a little alone time does the mind good, especially around the holidays. That’s according to more than half of Americans.

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A new study out of Ohio State University shows people need their alone time to deal with holiday stress. Researchers found 56% of people say alone time is critical to their mental health, but nearly half (46%) of them don’t get it during the winter holiday season. More than a third (36%) of them admitted they get more irritable when they don’t get enough alone time.

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It’s important to note alone time is very different from loneliness. Loneliness is often associated with feelings of sadness or abandonment while alone time is a contented choice to be by yourself.

The study’s authors said carving out even just small increments of alone time in your day can have a lot of benefits not just for a person’s mental health, but their physical health as well. Some small things people can can do to get in some much-needed alone time include taking a walk or stretching, giving themselves five minutes to just breathe and relax, or finding other little opportunities, like playing their favorite music while they cook.

If the holidays make a person more depressed than stressed, remember there’s help for that too. They can call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 any day at any time for someone to talk to. It’s completely confidential and free.

Tags: christmas, Health, Health Care, holidays, Mental health, Ohio, Ohio State, Stress, Study

[Craig]

WHILE THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS DECLARED LONELINESS AN EPIDEMIC IN THE U-S… A LITTLE ALONE TIME DOES THE MIND GOOD, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE HOLIDAYS – AT LEAST ACCORDING TO MORE THAN HALF OF AMERICANS.

A NEW STUDY OUT OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY SHOWS PEOPLE NEED THEIR ALONE TIME TO DEAL WITH HOLIDAY STRESS.

RESEARCHERS FOUND 56 PERCENT OF PEOPLE SAY ALONE TIME IS CRITICAL TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH…

BUT NEARLY HALF OF THEM DON’T GET IT DURING THE WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON.

AND MORE THAN A THIRD OF THEM ADMITTED THEY GET MORE IRRITABLE WHEN THEY DON’T GET ENOUGH ALONE TIME.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ALONE TIME IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM LONELINESS.

LONELINESS IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH FEELINGS OF SADNESS OR ABANDONMENT… WHILE ALONE TIME IS A CONTENTED CHOICE TO BE BY YOURSELF.

THE STUDY’S AUTHORS SAY CARVING OUT EVEN JUST SMALL INCREMENTS OF ALONE TIME IN YOUR DAY CAN HAVE A LOT OF BENEFITS NOT JUST FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, BUT YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, AS WELL.

SOME SMALL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET IN SOME MUCH-NEEDED ALONE TIME INCLUDE…

TAKING A WALK OR STRETCHING, GIVING YOURSELF FIVE MINUTES TO JUST BREATHE AND RELAX, OR FINDING OTHER LITTLE OPPORTUNITIES – LIKE PLAYING YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC WHILE YOU COOK, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND IF THE HOLIDAYS MAKE YOU MORE DEPRESSED THAN STRESSED – REMEMBER THERE’S HELP FOR THAT TOO.

YOU CAN CALL THE NATIONAL SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE AT 9-8-8 ANY DAY AT ANY TIME FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TO.

IT’S COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL AND FREE.

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