Credit: Getty
Life
This is how spending too much time alone is impacting our energy levels
By Amy Beecham
2 years ago
2 min read
Could the ‘cure’ to our fatigue really be…doing more with other people?
Burnout. Hyper-fatigue. Whatever you want to call it, it’s no secret that most of us feel more exhausted than ever. A 2022 YouGov study found that more than three in five women say that they feel tired when they wake up, even when they get a lot of sleep.
Of course, with the mounting pressures of modern life, the tail end of a global pandemic and a crippling cost of living crisis, it’s really no wonder. But how much time we spend with other people may have something to do with it too.
A new study by the University of Vienna found that people who experience social isolation for more than eight hours tend to report higher levels of tiredness, suggesting that low energy may be a basic human response to a lack of socialising.
According to the Campaign To End Loneliness, more than 45% of adults feel occasionally, sometimes or often lonely, a figure exacerbated by multiple lockdowns and reduced human connection through hybrid working. Not only does loneliness impact our mental health, but the researchers also found evidence that a lack of social contact induces a kind of craving response in our brains comparable to hunger, which motivates us to reconnect with those around us.
“In the lab study, we found striking similarities between social isolation and food deprivation. Both states induced lowered energy and heightened fatigue, which is surprising given that food deprivation literally makes us lose energy, while social isolation would not”, study authors Ana Stijovic and Paul Forbes wrote.
There is clearly a fine balance to be maintained between over and under exerting ourselves
We know all too well that our social batteries can be sensitive – too much stimulation can also lead to exhaustion and low mood. However, there is clearly a fine balance to be maintained between over and under-exerting ourselves when connecting with other people.
So before you rush to squeeze even more brunch dates and terrace trips into your already packed diary, remember that it’s equally important to take time, alone, to yourself. While solo time is to be embraced rather than avoided, it just goes to show that a little human connection can go a long way, for our brains as well as our bodies.
Images: Getty
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