Science Reveals Why Alone Time is Good for You.

If you’re always surrounded by others, this could explain your constant exhaustion.

Author

My Longevity Experiment
April 21, 2025

The Rise of Solitude in Modern Day Culture

Over the past several years, researchers have raised concerns about the increasing amount of time Americans spend alone. Data reveals a marked rise in solitary living, solo dining, and individual travel, with the rate of living alone nearly doubling over the last 50 years.

These changes accompanied the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 declaration of a loneliness epidemic, prompting some to claim that the country has entered an "anti-social century." Chronic loneliness is indeed linked to serious health consequences, including depression and reduced lifespan, which makes social isolation a significant concern.

The Emergence of Positive Solitude

However, not all alone time is harmful. A growing body of research highlights a contrasting trend: the intentional pursuit of "positive solitude." Unlike loneliness, this state is associated with emotional health and personal growth.

According to a psychologist who has spent the past decade studying the appeal of being alone, solitude offers powerful benefits. “My findings join a host of others that have documented a long list of benefits gained when we choose to spend time by ourselves, ranging from opportunities to recharge our batteries and experience personal growth to making time to connect with our emotions and our creativity.”

This desire for solitude appears to be growing. “It makes sense to me why people live alone as soon as their financial circumstances allow, and when asked why they prefer to dine solo, people say simply, ‘I want more me time.’”

Supporting this trend, a 2024 national survey found that 56% of Americans view alone time as essential to their mental health. The demand is so pronounced that Costco began selling "solitude sheds" for around $2,000, offering buyers a personal sanctuary for quiet and reflection.

The Cultural Stigma Around Solitude

Despite this growing interest, cultural perceptions of solitude remain largely negative. “This anxiety stems in large part from our culture's deficit view of solitude. In this type of thinking, the desire to be alone is seen as unnatural and unhealthy, something to be pitied or feared rather than valued or encouraged.”

These perceptions are reinforced by media bias. “A study published in February 2025 found that U.S. news headlines are 10 times more likely to frame being alone negatively than positively.”

The ideal of extraversion, deeply embedded in American society, further compounds the stigma. Traits like sociability and assertiveness are celebrated, while introversion and solitude are often misunderstood or dismissed. This cultural conditioning encourages extroverted behavior, leading many to view the preference for alone time as deviant.

However, research shows that solitude is not exclusive to introverts and does not inherently lead to loneliness. “In fact, the data doesn't fully support current fears of a loneliness epidemic, something scholars and journalists have recently acknowledged.”

Older adults, often assumed to be especially vulnerable to isolation, report greater satisfaction with solitude than popular narratives suggest.

When Solitude Is Interrupted by Screens

The benefits of solitude only emerge under specific conditions. It must be intentional and distraction-free. “My research has found that solitude's positive effects on well-being are far less likely to materialize if the majority of our alone time is spent staring at our screens, especially when we're passively scrolling social media.”

Solitude requires space for introspection and emotional self-connection. “True solitude turns attention inward. It's a time to slow down and reflect. A time to do as we please, not to please anyone else. A time to be emotionally available to ourselves, rather than to others.”

However, digital habits can interfere. “If we're addicted to being busy, it can be hard to slow down. If we're used to looking at a screen, it can be scary to look inside. And if we don't have the skills to validate being alone as a normal and healthy human need, then we waste our alone time feeling guilty, weird or selfish.”

Reframing Solitude for Mental Wellness

Cultural narratives around solitude can evolve. “Viewing solitude as a beneficial experience rather than a lonely one has been shown to help alleviate negative feelings about being alone, even for the participants who were severely lonely.”

Perceiving alone time as “full” instead of “empty” increases the likelihood of using solitude for constructive ends such as self-reflection, emotional healing, or spiritual connection. Even changing the terminology can help. “Replacing ‘isolation’ with ‘me time’ causes people to view their alone time more positively and likely affects how their friends and family view it as well.”

Importantly, a balanced life must include both connection with others and time alone. “It is true that if we don't have a community of close relationships to return to after being alone, solitude can lead to social isolation. But it's also true that too much social interaction is taxing, and such overload negatively affects the quality of our relationships.”

The movement toward more alone time may be a response to overstimulation and over-scheduling, a quest for deeper balance and greater self-connection.

Your Call to Action for the Benefits of Positive Solitude

Rather than fear solitude, individuals should learn to embrace and structure it. Seek time alone without digital distractions and allow space for self-reflection, rest, or creative pursuits. Use “me time” as a resource to restore emotional equilibrium and enhance personal well-being. By shifting perspective and intentionally engaging with solitude, Americans can access its full range of psychological and emotional benefits.

Study Links: