Living a private life, embracing solitude, or spending time with yourself are all personal choices. It’s not about whether you are alone or not, but rather how you feel in your own company. Therefore, normalising alone time is important because it allows for self-reflection, creativity, and personal growth. It is a time where you get to reconnect with your inner self, and everything else is just noise.
Unfortunately, society often regards being alone as the same as loneliness, but the two are different. Being alone, when embraced positively, can be both empowering and fulfilling, especially in today’s fast-paced and demanding world. Understanding this difference is crucial, and it's time we normalise spending time alone for our well-being and balance.
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What Are The Benefits Of Spending Time Alone?![]()
In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, Deekshaa Athwani, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, says that being alone is something that we may need for our mental wellbeing.
She says, “Solitude provides one of the most important benefits: time to reflect on yourself and your emotional needs. When alone, there is just time to pause, think things over, and process your thoughts and feelings freely without external impressions. We find ourselves becoming clear-headed, opening our eyes to identify some of our personal needs, and becoming alert as to why we are stressed out. For one, it leaves space for creativity and problem-solving, as solitary time without distractions allows the brain the autonomy to come up with original connections and deep thinking. Last but not least, there is emotional and mental rejuvenation; therefore, the tendency for burnout is reduced, and when people return to social interactions, they come back quite refreshed.”
Interestingly, multiple studies have found benefits to solitude.
One study published in the Scientific Reports found that spending time alone can reduce stress and increase feelings of autonomy.
Another study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that 15 minutes of solitude can lower high arousal emotions like anxiety and excitement and increase low-arousal feelings like calmness.
It is important to note that solitude and loneliness are two different things and that the latter can be harmful in certain cases. Studies have shown that prolonged loneliness can increase the risk of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and suicidality.
In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that it can increase a person's risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, and earlier death.
So, it is crucial to know the difference between loneliness and solitude. The key difference is that loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to isolation, while solitude is a choice to be alone.
How To Normalise Alone Time![]()
Psychologist Deekshaa shares that it is also important to normalise the idea that solitude is needed to have a self-care program, especially for those who feel guilty or judged for the desire to be alone.
"Something needs to be done to remove the feeling of guilt; the accuser needs to be redefined so they put into context what solitary time is—thus necessary for emotional health and a boundary to set for loved ones. Putting it on a list with necessary tasks might make it feel more normal or diminish the social pressure," she notes.
Activities To Engage In During Alone Time
There are various things that can be done during your time alone. Some of the positive and productive things include:
- Journaling or creative writing aids in self-reflection.
- Mindfulness meditation helps in emotional regulation.
- Reading, painting, or learning a new skill.
- Physical activities like exercising or doing yoga can help loosen up and boost their well-being.
Strategies To Embrace Solitude![]()
According to Deekshaa, small steps can work on making solitude tolerable to those anxious or uncomfortable with it.
“Starting off with brief, scheduled periods of alone time and then gradually increasing the time helped people make solitude more manageable. Structuring this time with things that calm or are pleasurable—reading or exercising, for instance—can work to reduce anxiety levels. Mindfulness exercises and grounding techniques also make discomfort disappear and help to focus on the present moment rather than fears about loneliness,” she says.
She adds that this, in a nutshell, says that such time for solitude is critical for a good mentality and emotional resilience. Through normalisation of such solitude, refinement in productive engagement, and reframing of the experience, people can bring about enduring change for themselves as well as to strengthen relationships and social engagements, the expert concludes.