America’s isolation: the impact of staying home

Are you more of a homebody or a social butterfly? A recent study would suggest that an ever-growing number of individuals are the former. According to an article for The Conversation entitled “America is becoming a nation of homebodies,” Americans are spending substantially less time outside the home than they did even 20 years ago, leading to various societal and personal consequences.

Through the American Time Use Survey and other studies, researchers made the following findings: – While the COVID pandemic caused more people to stay home, the trend of Americans spending more time at home did not start or end with COVID. The pandemic mostlyacceleratedongoingtrends.Forexample, Americans in 2019 (pre-pandemic) spent nearly 30 minutes less per day on out-of-home activities than they did in 2003.

– The amount of time Americans spent outside the home took a nosedive during COVID, decreasing by over an hour from 2019 to 2021. It rebounded slightly in 2022, but went down again in 2023. The net result is that Americans in 2023 spent nearly 1.5 hours less per day on out-of-home activities than they did in 2003.

– Americans are spending less time socializing, shopping, volunteering, and traveling/commuting, which all contribute to more at-home time.

– In 2023, a Gallup poll revealed that more than half of Americans prefer staying home rather than going out, a significant increase compared to previous decades.

– The implications of the change in how Americans spend their time are far-reaching, affecting areas such as traffic, public transit, real estate, the workplace, socializing, and mental health. With Americans spending more time working, playing, and shopping from home, demand for office and retail space has fallen. The amount of time spent working from home has held steady between early 2023 and early 2025, at about 25% of paid work days. Public transit systems have suffered significant losses, while the need for package and food delivery drivers has sharply increased.

– More time spent at home typically means more time spent alone, and so there has been a rise in loneliness due to a lack of social connection. A 2024 American Psychiatric Association (APA) poll found that 30% of adults in the United States have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year, and 10% of adults say they are lonely every day.

– Many Americans suffer from anxiety (estimated at 19% by the National Institute of Mental Health), which can make it harder for them to engage in social interactions in the first place. Even post-pandemic, many people remain hesitant or reluctant to engage in social events. It’s enough of a shift that Harvard University researchers came up with a name for this phenomenon: “post-pandemic social anxiety.”

– There are other factors at play as well. According to Forbes, nearly 70% of Millennials and Gen Z individuals say financial anxiety significantly influences their decision to stay home instead of attending social events.

– All of this time spent in isolation is taking a toll on our health. Studies show a number of negative health effects of prolonged isolation, including poor mental health, higher rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and physical health consequences such as weakened immunity and heart disease. Isolation also erodes a sense of community, leading to declining civic participation and diminished empathy.

“Though the trend toward isolation is undeniable, it's not irreversible,” Emily Standley Allard writes for MSN. “Experts argue that restoring balance requires intentional effort. Engaging in community events, choosing face-to-face interactions over digital ones, and prioritizing authentic relationships can help counteract the isolationist momentum.” In other words, staying socially connected is not complicated, if not always easy. It simply takes a level of intentionality and recognizing that relationships are important enough to prioritize them.

Also, it’s important to understand that everyone has a different “social tank” and amount of time they need to spend with others to feel fulfilled. There’s a difference between enjoying some much-needed solitude/alone time and feeling isolated or lonely.

If you are feeling the need to connect more but are not sure how to go about it, Kasley Killam, MPH, author of The Art and Science of Connection, has a few tips. She recommends gradually adding in moments of connection throughout your day.

“You can weave them into your day to day and feel more connected without overhauling your life,” Killam says. “When you’re doing laundry, you can call a friend, and just say that you’re thinking about them. Or when you’re waiting in line and have a few minutes of downtime, text someone, and send them a photo. There are lots of studies showing even simple gestures like that create connection.”

She also suggests not limiting your social interactions to just your inner circle.

“To be socially healthy, you need a variety of social contacts, not just with one person, or one group of people,” she says. “It’s also important to spend time with friends, with coworkers—even complete strangers, like your barista. Data shows that those interactions still actually matter.”

So, to put it simply: people need people. And even a short conversation has the ability to change your mood and the course of your day. The number of people living in loneliness is a reminder for all of us to slow down, pay attention to the people around us, look for those who look lonely or isolated, and invite them in. It can make a huge difference.

(Information taken from “America is becoming a nation of homebodies” by Brian D. Taylor et al., The Conversation; “America the Homebodies: Are We Entering the Anti-Social Century?” by Emily Standley Allard, MSN;and“We'reAllBecomingHomebodies—and It's Having Surprising Impacts on Our Health, New Study Says” by Lisa Milbrand, Real Simple.)

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