New research suggests that spending time alone outdoors may help reduce feelings of loneliness, even though it might seem counterintuitive. A study published in Health and Place found that time spent on or along a lake was linked to lower levels of loneliness. Social interaction was not the main factor. Instead, feeling connected to nature and having an emotional attachment to a specific place showed the strongest ties to reduced loneliness. People who did those activities alone reported an even stronger effect.
What the research found
Researchers in Norway surveyed 2,544 residents living near the country’s largest lake. Participants reported how often they walked along the shore, swam, paddled, or fished, and how often they did those activities alone. The study measured three types of loneliness.
Connectedness to nature, described as a sense of kinship with animals, plants, and the broader living world, showed the strongest association with reduced loneliness across all three measures. Attachment to a specific place, in this case the lake, was also linked to lower loneliness, especially the type related to feeling disconnected from a broader community.
Not every activity had the same effect. Walking along the shore, enjoying life by the water, and walking on the ice showed the strongest ties to feeling connected to nature. Exercising along the shore, interestingly, had the weakest association. Researchers suggested that attention is directed differently: activities involving sensory noticing and aesthetic appreciation appear to deepen the bond with nature, while exercise-focused activity tends not to.
Why nature helps people feel more connected
The researchers pointed to two types of connection. Internal connection: solitude gives mental space to turn attention outward toward the environment rather than inward toward conversation or distraction. That can support reflection, mental clarity, and emotional regulation. External connection: feeling emotionally bonded to a place, whether a lake, a trail, or a park bench, creates a sense of belonging that does not depend on other people being present. A person is not alone in an existential sense but rather part of something larger.
This helps explain why the effect was stronger when people did lake activities alone. Without the social component, there is more room for that felt sense of oneness with nature to emerge. The benefits extend well beyond loneliness, from reduced stress hormones to improved immunity.
Solitude vs. isolation
An important distinction: solitude is not the same as isolation. Solitude is chosen, intentional time alone that feels restorative. Isolation is unwanted, the painful sense of being cut off from others. The researchers noted that both too much and too little time alone can be harmful. The finding does not mean isolating oneself in nature is a reliable path to well-being. It means that intentional solo time outdoors, when a person is paying attention to surroundings, may help ease feelings of disconnection.
The study is observational and cannot prove cause and effect. Lonelier people may actively seek out nature to compensate for unmet social needs.
How to put this into practice
For those curious about testing this approach, a few ideas come from the research. Start small: a 20-minute walk in a green space or by water can be enough to shift attention outward. Go alone on purpose: instead of viewing solo time as a fallback when no one is available, treat it as an intentional practice. Pay attention: activities involving sensory noticing, such as looking at the water, listening to birds, or feeling the air, deepen the connection more than exercise-focused activity. Leave the podcast at home occasionally. Find a place that resonates: place attachment was a key factor in the study. Returning to the same trail, park, or shoreline can build an emotional bond over time. Be honest about what is needed: if a person is feeling isolated and craving human connection, solo nature time is not a substitute. But if feeling overstimulated, drained, or disconnected from oneself, it might be exactly what helps.
The takeaway
Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern, but solutions are not always accessible or scalable. This research points to a simple, low-lift tool: intentional solo time outdoors. The goal is not to isolate more. It is to be more intentional about how and where time alone is spent. For anyone balancing a busy schedule, stepping outside, even by oneself, is not avoidance. It might be one of the most restorative things a person can do, and a path toward a more psychologically rich life.
The study was published in Health and Place and can be accessed at the ScienceDirect link provided by the researchers.
