If you can’t find a minute to yourself between the holiday decorating, shopping and menu planning, you’re not alone.

46% of Americans say they don’t get the alone time they need during the holidays, according to a new survey from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. And 56% say it’s very important to their mental health to have adequate alone time.

“In today’s world, there is a lot of input, a lot of stress and business, and alone time really gives us an opportunity to step back, decompress, allow our nervous system to calm down and really recover from some of that,” says clinical psychologist Sophie Lazarus of Ohio State.

While a whole afternoon away might sound wonderful, Dr. Lazarus suggests looking for smaller pockets of time during the holiday rush.

“Do you need to drive to the grocery store a lot? Okay, well, wonderful. Maybe you put on some nice music, open the window and really enjoy that time. Even something like I walk back and forth to the kitchen or bathroom I’m actually alone during those times, so I can be thinking about what’s coming next or stressing about what just happened. Or I could be present and feel my feet on the ground and feel my body and take a few breaths as well.”

And just because you’re prioritizing yourself at this moment doesn’t mean that you’re selfish.

“There are values around family and giving to the people in your life, and there are values around self-care. Just because we’re prioritizing the value of self-care in this moment doesn’t mean that’s always what we’re going to value.”

Dr. Lazarus says balance is the key to happier, less stressful holidays.

Source: Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

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