Sophie Lazarus, a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ohio State, advises her patients not all alone time is equal and encourages them to spend it in ways that best support their mental health. Credit: Courtesy of the Wexner Medical Center
For many, the holiday season is jam-packed with numerous social gatherings that can bring on stress and create a deeper need for alone time.
A survey of 1,000 Americans — administered by the Wexner Medical Center and the Ohio State College of Medicine — found that 46% of respondents believe they get less alone time around the holidays, with 56% viewing alone time as being essential to their mental health, according to a Dec. 3 press release.
Though the study affirmed many people recognize the crucial role alone time plays in maintaining mental health, it is also important to acknowledge discrepancies that exist between personality types, said Nik Allan, a psychologist and research assistant professor at the medical center.
“Fifty-six percent of people said that alone time was important,” Allan said. “But that does mean there’s a percentage of people that maybe thought it was less important, and it kind of brings me back to the basic concept of being introverts and extroverts.”
It is vital for individuals to reflect on how social situations affect them personally, taking into account whether they find such interactions enjoyable, stressful or draining, and if they need time to rest and recover afterward, Allan said.
Those who are on the more introverted side may need time away from social stimulation to recharge their social batteries, Allan said.
“For those people, when they go out and are in these social situations, it can be a bit draining,” Allan said. “While it can still be fun and exhilarating, too much of it just kind of drains the battery.”
Conversely, extroverts might see social settings as emotional fuel, Allan said. He said extroverts likely make up the portion of respondents who didn’t assign much value to alone time, as they rely on interacting with others as a form of personal rejuvenation.
Sophie Lazarus, a clinical psychologist in Ohio State’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, said in the press release that taking some time to be alone, even for just for a few minutes, can help boost one’s mental and physical well-being while reducing the holiday season’s innate sense of stress.
“By taking a brief pause alone, our nervous system can settle, our mind can settle, our body can settle,” Lazarus said in the release. “And I think that can be important. We know that chronic stress is not good for us.”
Individuals looking to add more alone time to their routines should figure out what works best for them, Lazarus said in the release. This could mean stepping away from their phone or taking a two-to-three-minute pause in the car after work before heading back into the house.
“One size doesn’t fit everyone,” Lazarus said in the release. “Being flexible and finding a balance is best.”
Though the holidays can be tense and overwhelming for some, they’re also a great opportunity for people to reconnect, Allan said. For this reason, individuals should consider what their holiday plans will look like and make space for alone time — whether it’s meditating or taking a walk while listening to music or podcasts — within their schedules.
“If you know you’re going to be traveling a lot in mid-December — you know you’re going to be doing a lot of socializing — then you could use early December as an opportunity to recharge those batteries,” Allan said. “Maybe reduce some of your social obligations while you’re preparing for the holiday so that you can kind of have more energy to really get the best out of it.”
The survey results ultimately stress the important and complex relationship humans have with social engagement, Allan said. Citing Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle’s principle of “moderation in all things,” Allan said finding the right balance — based on factors like stress levels and age — is key.
“Moderation is going to look different for different people,” Allan said, “But you got to try to strive to find that equilibrium where you are getting that alone time that you need so that you can really also get that social connectedness that you need.”
