Seeking Solitude Can Provide Emotional Regulation and Sense of Autonomy

Learn how you don’t have to close yourself off from the world to get the benefits of being alone.

By Avery Hurt
Jan 25, 2025 2:00 PM
woman-enjoying-coffee-in-her-kitchen
(Credit: Pressmaster/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Solitude is, simply enough, “the state or condition of being alone,” explains Thuy-vy Nguyen, a researcher at Durham University, U.K., who studies solitude. Time alone might be voluntary or involuntary; it might be pleasant or unpleasant. It all depends on the context. 

So, solitude is not necessarily bad, but is it beneficial? Nguyen is the principal investigator of Solitude Lab, where she and her team work to unravel these kinds of mysteries. They’ve found that solitude offers at least two important benefits.

It can provide “emotional regulation,” helping tamp down high-arousal emotions. It can also serve another, less immediate and perhaps even more important function: “It can foster a sense of autonomy by allowing individuals to engage with their environment in a manner and at a pace that suits them best,” says Nguyen.

Studying Solitude

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2025 LabX Media Group