Preference for home not always negative

Wanting to stay at home is not necessarily a negative signal leading to isolation, according to scientific research. Some individuals may perceive a preference for staying at home as a form of rejection or isolation, but this behavior is more common than one might think and reflects a deeper need. Wanting to go out less from home can also be a positive sign.

Solitude has varied effects on well-being

A study published in 2023 in the journal Nature found that daily solitude has both beneficial and harmful effects on well-being. The study indicated that solitude is well experienced when it is chosen, and no element has allowed to highlight an "optimal balance" universal between solitude and social interactions.

Solitude can reduce stress and increase satisfaction

The linear effects suggest that participants feel more alone and less satisfied on days when they spend more hours alone. These harmful effects are canceled or reduced when daily solitude is autonomous (chosen) and does not accumulate from one day to another. People who generally spend more time alone are not, overall, more alone.

Solitude benefits depend on personal choice

On days when participants spend more time alone, they feel less stress and greater satisfaction linked to their autonomy. Spending time in solitude is good for morale, but provided that this desire to isolate is really chosen. Other research has also shown that solitude could significantly reduce daily stress.

Personality shapes the experience of solitude

These studies have their limits, and it is important to note that this ability to stay alone and this tendency to reinforce well-being by choosing solitude depend on each person. Indeed, while some personalities like solitude, for others, this exercise can be much more difficult. A study conducted in 2021, notably on the effects of confinement, shows exactly that personality plays a major role in the way we welcome solitude.

Emotional stability influences the impact of solitude

In these studies, we discover that people who appreciated solitude more and were emotionally stable felt less loneliness. On the contrary, people who appreciate being alone much less saw their stress and anxiety levels increase. Being alone can be beneficial for some people according to their personality traits, but difficult to manage for others.

Staying home is not the same as isolation

Going out less does not necessarily mean isolating oneself. People who prefer to stay at home rather than go out are not necessarily isolating themselves and falling into a dark and depressive daily life. On the contrary, they take time for themselves because they need it. For others, however, this exercise can be difficult to live. These researches prove notably that solitude is beneficial only when it is chosen and not endured.