The Most Healing Types of Alone Time Are More Social in Nature

In today’s busy world, finding some ‘me time’ can help restore your health and happiness but a new study finds some activities you do alone are more healing than others.

Researchers surveyed about 900 adults and found alone time that’s more social in nature like reading in a café or going to a movie by yourself is more likely to restore energy and maintain a feeling of connection to others than more intense forms of solitude like hiking by yourself deep in a forest or writing in a secluded cabin.

In other words, solitude can play an important role in building kinship. which has been linked to many health benefits including a lower risk of serious disease, better mental health and a longer lifespan. And surprisingly, the study findings were true for both extroverts and introverts.

One author says, “In a world where social interaction is almost always just a click away, we need to understand how to balance social interaction with different types of solitude.”

Source: Oregon State University