Solitude Lab
@thesolitudelab.bsky.social
Solitude Lab conducts research and shares resource on how time spent alone influences emotions, thoughts, and internal experiences. Webpage: https://www.solitude-lab.com
Want to help with autism research? The Social Experiences of Loneliness of Autistic Adults (SELA) Project at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute is forming a Community Council of autistic adults (ages 18–35) to help guide a 5-year study on loneliness and social connection. Info in flyer and alt-text.
Solitude isn’t about isolation. It’s about reconnection. When we spend time alone by choice, we’re not withdrawing from the world, we’re returning to ourselves.
Gràcies! 🙏 🎉 Check out the discussion in Catalan about solitude from the team of researchers at University of Vic @uvic-ucc.cat Click on thread below 👇
UDivulga@udivulga.bsky.social · last yr.En aquest capítol Laura Coll, Jorge Montesó, Toni Corominas i Elisenda Fenollosa dialoguen sobre estar sols de la mà de la recerca de la Dra. @thuyvytnguyen.bsky.social al seu laboratori de la solitud @thesolitudelab.bsky.social
New paper! 📄 🎉 We used a mixed-methods approach to understand the perception of "aloneness" among new mothers. The research highlight the importance of support system for mothers' rest and self-care. Read more 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/... Our project 👉 www.solitude-lab.com/family-recha...
Study shows the lack of ‘me time’ for new mothers - Durham University
New mothers only have about an hour out of their waking day for rest, according to new research by our psychologists.
durham.ac.uk
New podcast episode 🎧 The Art of Solitude: radio.foxnews.com/2025/07/21/t... In this episode of Searching for Heroes, our lab’s PI Dr Thuy-vy Nguyen joins Benjamin Hall to talk about how solitude can be a meaningful part of everyday life. Give it a listen - and let us know what you think 🌿 😊
The Art Of Solitude
Solitude Chapter Three: Ben and Principal Investigator of The Solitude Lab, Dr. Thuy-Vy Nguyen, explores the misconception that solitude is the absence of connection, as opposed to the…
radio.foxnews.com
Thank you for your suggestion! We have recently looked into a few traits that are related to Sensory-Processing Sensitivity, including Introversion and Autistic traits. We found that individuals high on those traits tend to prefer solitude especially when experiencing social stress.
sapientgadfly@sapientgadfly.bsky.social · last yr.Your research should look into the Elaine Aron's theory of Highly Sensitive People (HSP). The trait of solitude is a factor in HSP and Sensory Processing Sensitivity.
🧠 Meet the minds behind In-Mind: Social Media Team 🧠 ✨ Anika Cukingnan 💼 Social Media Team 🎓 BSc Psych Student @durham-university.bsky.social, Summer Internship @thesolitudelab.bsky.social 🔍 Research interests: social, clinical & health psychology #MeetTheTeam #Psychology #ScienceCommunication
Congratulations 🎉 to 3-year undergrad Anika Cukingnan ✨ who has been awarded the @durhampsych.bsky.social's Summer Internship. Anika will be helping our lab to process physiological data 📈 collected from a project looking at the effects of extended solitude on emotion and cognition 👏
Congratulations 🎉 to 3-year undergrad Anika Cukingnan ✨ who has been awarded the @durhampsych.bsky.social's Summer Internship. Anika will be helping our lab to process physiological data 📈 collected from a project looking at the effects of extended solitude on emotion and cognition 👏
For this post, we brought to you a reflection sparked by an exchange with a Solitude Lab reader💬. They reached out to share their experience with #neurodivergence 🧠 and how #solitude has been a nurturing space for them - to heal, think, and create 🌿. Read here: www.solitude-lab.com/post/solitud...
Solitude as Sanctuary: Insights from a Neurodivergent Reader
Writer: Thuy-vy NguyenSomeone wrote to me recently, a stream-of-consciousness reflection that has given me a lot of thoughts. They didn’t ask for advice or feedback. They simply shared. And what they…
solitude-lab.com
Sometimes solitude is just you, the sky, and a jellyfish-shaped kite. No noise, no rush, just wind, string, and stillness. #SolitudeLab #QuietMoments #TimeAlone
Congratulations to our lab member Xiangyu Deng for winning the Poster Award at the Psychology Early Career Conference (PECC). Xiangyu is in his 1st year PhD and his first study uses #EMA to look at the interplay between social media use and cognitions in different social and solitary contexts.
Happy Friday! This week our lab had our end-of-year get-together and discussed the studies everyone has helped with this academic year. It is only appropriate to mark this occasion with some violin plots 🎻 🎉
🏡 For most of history, privacy was rare—people worked, ate & shared beds together. Over time, design changes (private studies, separate rooms, locking trunks) influenced how and where we find subjective and objective solitude. 🔗 Read more in our latest blog post: buff.ly/MPUIGsa #Solitude #Privacy
The Evolution of Private Spaces: How Homes Transformed to Allow for Solitude
Written by Thuy-vy NguyenOn 10 March, Solitude Lab will be meeting with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. In preparation, we reflect on how home design has evolved over time to…
solitude-lab.com
What does solitude mean to 6th graders? @thuyvytnguyen.bsky.social spoke with a class of 11 year olds, who showed nuanced understanding of solitude and loneliness. Choice and what they do alone are central to their solitude experiences. ✨ Read our new blogpost: www.solitude-lab.com/post/explori...
Exploring Solitude and Loneliness with 11-Year-Olds: Key Insights from a Thoughtful Session
Written by Thuy-vy NguyenGet involved: If you are a school or teacher who would love to have a session for your students on solitude, emotional regulation, and the power of choice, please reach out…
solitude-lab.com
We Are Back! 👋 Our lab has taken a three-month pause to focus on a few key activities behind the scenes—but we have so many updates to share with you! From new blog posts and research findings to upcoming events and collaborations, there’s a lot happening.
Retirement brings more time alone—but how do retirees spend it? We interviewed older adults & thematically analyzed their insights. While some embraced solitude for hobbies & self-care, others faced challenges adjusting. Read their experiences: www.solitude-lab.com/post/finding... #MeTime #WellBeing
Finding Joy in Solitude After Retirement
Written by Becky YarwoodEdited by Thuy-vy NguyenSource: ‘Alone Time in the Golden Age: Pre-Retiree and Retiree Experiences of Solitude’ (Manuscript in Preparation) Relate…
solitude-lab.com
Another preprint is out! 🚀 We explore how retirees experience and redefine (or plan for) their solitude in meaningful ways. Check it out here: doi.org/10.31234/osf... #Retirement #Solitude Here’s a quick breakdown of key findings! 🧵👇
OSF
doi.org
Our lab's attempt of creating a GIF (pronounced "gif" or "jif" 🤔). This summarises recommendations delivered next week to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. We triangulated qualitative and quantitative on factors most valued by living-alone adults about their neighbourhood.
Thùy Vy T Nguyễn@thuyvytnguyen.bsky.social · 2y agoVery excited to speak with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in March. I will discuss findings from @durham-university.bsky.social seed grant project to understand living-alone adults's experiences in NE England. More infographics will be shared on @thesolitudelab.bsky.social
🏡 For most of history, privacy was rare—people worked, ate & shared beds together. Over time, design changes (private studies, separate rooms, locking trunks) influenced how and where we find subjective and objective solitude. 🔗 Read more in our latest blog post: buff.ly/MPUIGsa #Solitude #Privacy
The Evolution of Private Spaces: How Homes Transformed to Allow for Solitude
Written by Thuy-vy NguyenOn 10 March, Solitude Lab will be meeting with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. In preparation, we reflect on how home design has evolved over time to…
solitude-lab.com
23 older adults shared their experiences of solitude in retirement. For some, alone time is a source of joy and creativity. For others, it can feel isolating. Our latest blog explores these perspectives through in-depth interviews. Read more: https://buff.ly/4i4v90A
Retirement and Solitude: How Older Adults Spend Their Time Alone
Written by Becky Yarwood Source: ‘Alone Time in the Golden Age: Pre-Retiree and Retiree Experiences of Solitude’ (Manuscript in Preparation) This project was made possible by the support of Age UK…
buff.ly
New preprint out! 🎉 We explore how first-time mothers experience "aloneness"—a mix of solitude, loneliness, & caregiving demands—during early motherhood. A 🧵 on our mixed-methods study & key findings. #Motherhood #Solitude #MentalHealth Link to paper: https://buff.ly/4hXKqAa 👇
“I got all sorts of solitude, but that solitude wasn’t mine”: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Aloneness during Becoming A Mother
This study examines the evolving experiences of "aloneness" in first-time mothers during their transition to motherhood. Study 1 involved qualitative interviews with 22 mothers, revealing three core…
doi.org
Are we becoming more anti-social, or is solitude an adaptive response to modern stress? Research shows people often withdraw due to stress. Focusing only on getting people to socialise ignores the bigger issue: relentless life demands & overstimulation. Read more:
Are We Becoming More Anti-Social?
Written by Thuy-vy NguyenRecently, The Atlantic published an article called “The Anti-Social Century,” where Derek Thompson discussed how more American people are choosing to “stay in” and live solo,…
buff.ly
🌟 New blog post 🌟 How does social media shape adolescents' emotional and internal world in solitude? 🌐 Our blog explores whether scrolling provides connection, fosters self-exploration, or disrupts meaningful reflection. The key lies in how we use it. Read more here:
Plugged In During Solitude: Adolescents' Private Use of Social Media
Written by Kritika RaoEdited by Thuy-vy NguyenThe way children and adolescents experience solitude today is vastly different from how people spent time alone before the rise of high-speed internet…
buff.ly
✨ The latest Solitude Lab newsletter is here! ✨ This week, we reflect on how solitude shapes adolescence and highlight emerging solo trends in 2025. We also invite parents and retirees to try a reflective exercise on well-being 🌿 Sign up to read more: https://buff.ly/4airpWQ
Happy New Year! 🎉 Our first blog of 2025 explores how solitude provides space for adolescents to reflect, grow, and find their identity. But it’s not always easy—too much isolation can bring challenges. Finding the balance with mentor support is key. 👉 https://buff.ly/4aeruuE
🌍✨ Our lab contributed to Well+Good to explore solo trends of 2025. Our 2024 paper ( shows solitude preference is higher during negative experiences. Could the rise in demands for alone time reflect collective social stress? https://buff.ly/3VLvKM6
🎄✨ Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! The holiday season is often filled bustling togetherness, but for those looking to spend it a little differently this year, this blog is for you. 👉 https://buff.ly/49S1XHl Wishing you peace, warmth, and happiness, however you celebrate!
🎄✨This thoughtful piece from The Washington Post https://buff.ly/4gwMr5U highlights how some are choosing to step back from the usual social activities - whether by spending Christmas solo or opting out of large family gatherings for quieter celebrations 🕊️
