If you want to catch a film at the movie theater, do you seek a friend to go with you, or do you embrace the solo time? The idea of doing things alone—like traveling, dining, or attending an event—fills some people with trepidation, yet it’s no big deal for others.

So what differentiates those who enjoy being on their own from those who struggle with it? It’s likely a combination of factors, but genetics may play a small role. With an AncestryDNA^® + Traits test, you can discover if you have DNA markers that could influence your preference for solo time.

The Benefits of Alone Time

Sometimes, all you need is a brief reprieve from everyone and everything around you. You might feel burnt out and need a break, or you may value your privacy and autonomy. Or maybe you like to do things alone that aren't as enjoyable in a group, such as reading or engaging in creative projects. Others prefer time to be alone to connect with themselves or their spirituality.

Choosing to spend some time alone can be beneficial for your mental health. For example, solitude can provide you with opportunities for:

• Personal exploration, where you might consider your interests, focus on your wants or needs, or set goals for the future.
• Introspection without distraction, as time by yourself, may give you the mental space to reflect on judgments and pressure from others, develop more compassion and empathy, or figure out how to set personal boundaries.
• Stress reduction through solo activities like leisurely walks, gardening, meditation, or prayer, which are commonly associated with reducing stress and promoting wellness.

Importantly, it appears that the art of being alone is directly related to whether it’s willing and intentional. There's also a big difference between spending time alone and feeling lonely. Loneliness is a sense of distress at not feeling socially connected, while choosing to be alone doesn't necessarily cause these negative feelings.

Genetics and the Science of Solitude

Interested in why some people prefer to be alone and whether there’s a genetic component at play, the AncestryDNA team asked more than 1 million people, “Do you prefer to do things alone?” By comparing their responses and genetic profiles, the team identified over 5,000 DNA markers related to a preference for solitude.

That data can be further interpreted by assigning a polygenic risk score, a statistical tool that looks just at your DNA in order to predict your preference for doing things alone. After calculating a polygenic risk score, Ancestry scientists found that while a preference for being alone has a small genetic factor, environmental influences play a much larger role.

What Else Influences the Preference to Do Things Alone?

Your preference for solitude—meaning you actively choose to be alone—can be influenced by several external factors. Notably, developmental psychologists believe comfort in solitude is a sign of emotional maturity. According to developmental psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, children raised in a nurturing environment with the opportunity to play freely without interruption are often comfortable enjoying their solo time. In other words, they've learned how to be alone comfortably.

Expanding upon that, people who choose to spend time alone tend to be more at ease with it than those who find themselves on their own due to external factors. This was found in studies that focused on teens from the United States and China.

Being introverted can also influence a preference for alone time. As introverts tend to feel drained after social interactions, alone time is often the key to recharging.

Beyond that, an international study of people ages 16-99 in 237 countries revealed that age, gender, and culture tend to predict loneliness. Generally speaking, younger people, men, and people in individualistic vs. collectivistic cultures tended to report higher rates of loneliness, conveying that they were less comfortable being alone.

The Art of Being Alone and Cultural Traditions

Cultural traditions and norms play a major role in how people view solo experiences.

While meditation has garnered a lot of recent attention—in North America and Europe, for example—the practice is thousands of years old. The earliest written documentation of meditation dates back to the Hindu Vedantic tradition. For people who practice Taoism and Buddhism, meditation is a solitary means of contemplation and liberation. Others may practice meditation for its overall health and wellness benefits.

More recently, some members of the younger generations in Japan have seen a significant shift toward embracing alone time. Referred to as “ohitorisama,” translating loosely to “party of one,” spending time alone intentionally has been embraced in recent years. This trend marks a big shift from the societal norm of only socializing in public while in the company of others.

Interested in discovering how your genes may influence your preference for being alone or other behavioral traits like goal setting or optimism? Take an AncestryDNA^® + Traits test to find out. If you've already taken an AncestryDNA test, your results are ready to review with your Ancestry^® membership.