COLUMBUS, Ohio - Some say the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. But for others, the hectic holiday season may 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 alone time they need during the holidays.
In addition, 56% of survey respondents say that it's very important to their mental health to have adequate alone time.
"By taking a brief pause alone, our nervous system can settle, our mind can settle, our body can settle. And I think that can be important. We know that chronic stress is not good for us," said Sophie Lazarus, PhD , a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ohio State.
It's important to make yourself a priority, and this can be accomplished by adding something simple to your routine that doesn't require a large chunk of time or effort, Lazarus said.
"Try putting your phone in a totally different room when you decide you're going to spend alone time, knowing how hard it is to resist picking it up," Lazarus said. "Or take two or three minutes in the car before you go pick your kids up or before you go back into the house after work to just be alone."
"One size doesn't fit everyone. Being flexible and finding a balance is best," Lazarus said.
"I think it's important to remember that just because you're prioritizing yourself at this moment doesn't mean that you're selfish and doesn't mean that you always make the choice to prioritize yourself over others," Lazarus said.
Alone time doesn't have to be solo, either.
"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," Lazarus said. "It can also be this absence of having to perform or interact socially in a more direct way."