The survey found that 56% say ‘alone time’ is important for mental health

Some say the holidays are the best time of the year. But for some, the busy holiday season can be the most stressful.

A new national survey of 1,000 Americans commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine shows that 46% of Americans say they don’t get the private time they need during the holidays.

In addition, 56% of survey respondents say that it is very important for their mental health to have enough private time.

Sophie Lazarus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Ohio State’s Department of Mental and Behavioral Health, says that in a world that glorifies being busy, taking a short break can be good for the mind and body. .

Taking a few minutes alone can reduce seasonal stress and help mental health, she said.

“Just by taking a short break, our nervous system can calm down, our mind can calm down, our body can calm down. And I think that can be important. We know that the stress of a chronic mind is not good for us,” said Lazarus.

It’s important to put yourself first, and this can be achieved by adding something simple to your routine that doesn’t require a lot of time or effort, Lasaro said.

Lazarus, who focuses on mental, emotional and anxiety interventions, has a few suggestions to help stressed people stay present throughout the busy holiday season.

“Try putting your phone in a completely different room when you decide to spend some time alone, you know how hard it is to not pick it up, to attract our attention and things to come first in our lives,” said Lazarus. “Or take two or three minutes in the car before you go to pick up your kids or before you go home after work to be alone.”

Lazarus says to think about what works best for you when making these changes in your schedule.

“One level does not suit everyone. Flexibility and finding the best balance,” Lazaru said.

Lazarus reminds patients that it’s okay to take time alone.

“I think it’s important to remember that just because you’re putting yourself first right now doesn’t mean you’re selfish and it doesn’t mean you always make the choice to put yourself first,” Lazarus said.

Private time doesn’t have to be solitary, either.

“Some people might have time to go to the movies alone or go to a park where there are a lot of people, or go to a coffee shop,” Lazarus said. “It may also be the absence of having to do or interact with the community in a more direct way.”

This survey was conducted by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, bimonthly, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from October 4-October 7, 2024, among a sample of 1,004 respondents.

The survey was conducted online (n=974) and telephone (n=30) and was administered in English. The margin of error for the overall respondents is +/- 3.5 percentage points at the 95% level. All data in the SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is averaged to represent the population of US adults age 18 or older.