Your Daily Dose of Solitude
Is there a recommended daily amount of solitude that relaxes us while holding off loneliness? Research actually has much to say about this.
We all know that government nutritionists put out (and periodically update) recommended daily amounts for various substances in food like salt, protein, iron and vitamins. Likewise, we’re told that adults need seven or eight hours of sleep for maximum health and well being. Along those lines, is there a certain amount of solitude that helps most of us function at our best?
More research has actually been done on this and related questions than I expected. Even if studies didn’t separately investigate the needs of introverts and extroverts, their results provide scientific backing for certain rescue measures or daily habits of introverts. Here are some of the relevant findings.
Small amounts have an impact: Studies show that as little as 10 or 15 minutes of alone time can counteract over-stimulation or negative emotional states such as anger, lowering the body into a greater state of calm. “Moments of solitude can restore emotional balance, reduce psychological stress and offer a break from external demands,” says Dr. Thuy-vy Nguyen, a UK professor of psychology who runs the Solitude Lab. This means that excusing yourself from a noisy party for a walk outdoors or staying alone in the conference room at work for lunch can help restore your psychological equilibrium when you’ve had it with togetherness.
Voluntary vs. involuntary solitude: According to a 2023 study, chosen solitude consistently correlates with higher well being. The benefits of such aloneness include a comfortable sense of autonomy, improved competence and better self-awareness. Forced apartness, though, can lead to distressing consequences like loneliness, negative rumination or feelings of isolation, notes Dr. Nguyen.
Individual needs vary: Numerous studies substantiate the idea that individuals differ in their optimal rate of solitude. No recommended quota or percentage works for everyone. This fits what introverts often observe about ourselves: We need more time alone to function well and feel good than do those who thrive on social interaction.
High-stress periods increase need for solitude: In a 2024 national US survey, 56 percent of respondents said that having enough alone time was “very important” for their mental health, especially during the holidays and other stretches of high stress. This figure surprised me a bit because introverts make up only one-third to one-half of the population. Therefore, even some extroverts have a strong need for a solitude break.
Beneficial alone time includes activities around others. “Some people might experience alone time from going to a movie by themselves or going to a park where there’s a lot of people, or going to a coffee shop,” says Dr. Sophie Lazarus, an Ohio State clinical psychologist who conducted who conducted the survey just mentioned. Alone time “can also be this absence of having to perform or interact socially in a more direct way.”
Not addressed in the research I found was the effect of an especially long stretch of solitude during the year. For instance, Bill Gates, who presumably had a very busy schedule most of the time, would set aside time for a twice-yearly “think week” – a computer-free and people-free retreat to a remote cabin where he would read and reflect by himself. Others sign themselves up for an annual silent meditation week. Although they’re not literally alone, they’re focused on themselves and minimally interacting, so that as Dr. Lazarus indicated, it tends to become a kind of solitary experience as well.