Emily Gibbs, narrator:
Arriving home after a long, hectic day often calls for solitude.

Hillary:
Just sitting in the car for a few minutes alone is crucial for me to be able to get through the things that I need to get through it. 

Narrator:
Hillary, mom of three young boys, says it helps her get back into parenting mode.

Hillary:
We feel as though we can't be the best parents we can be when we're not getting time to refresh and get our energy back.

Narrator:
And she's not alone. A new national survey of a thousand Americans by The Ohio State University. Wexner Medical Center finds more than half of respondents say it is very important to their mental health to have adequate alone time. Sophie Lazarus, clinical psychologist at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, says, in a world that glorifies staying busy, a pause can be very rewarding both mentally and physically.

Sophie Lazarus, PhD:
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.

Narrator:
This starts with prioritizing yourself even when life gets hectic.

Sophie Lazarus, PhD:
Maybe it's putting your phone in a totally other, uh, a different room, right? When you are deciding you're gonna spend alone time.

Narrator:
A simple gesture that doesn't require a large chunk of time away.

Sophie Lazarus, PhD:
Alone time can be taking two or three minutes in the car before you go pick your kids up, or before you go back into the house after work.

Narrator:
Lazarus says to take what works best for you into consideration.

Sophie Lazarus, PhD:
One size doesn't fit everyone. Being flexible and finding a balance is best.

Narrator:
And for Hillary, it means taking a break from interacting with those around her.

Hillary:
If I'm working on something or doing something where I don't have to engage with other people, it feels like the best alone time for me.

Narrator:
At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, I'm Emily Gibbs.