Americans Are Spending Less Time on Social Activities – Here's Why Social Engagement is Crucial for

New research has found that despite the significant reduction in the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years, Americans are still spending less time outdoors. In addition to working from home more frequently, American adults are also spending more time indoors engaging in other activities, such as religious services, eating, and drinking.

Experts suggest that this trend could exacerbate the "loneliness epidemic" facing the United States and recommend that people take small steps to eventually revert to pre-pandemic lifestyle habits. According to new studies, Americans are spending less time on outdoor social activities and dining out compared to before the pandemic outbreak.

Published this week in the Journal of the American Planning Association, the study found that people are spending about an extra hour at home each day compared to pre-pandemic levels.

"We expected to see an increase in time spent working from home and a significant decrease in time spent commuting," Dr. Eric Morris, a professor of urban planning at Clemson University and the lead author of the new report, told Health magazine. "That's already been documented; it's not a new contribution of our study. But I think we were surprised by the amount of other activities [outdoor] that have stopped."

This report heightens concerns about whether Americans are getting enough social connections. Last year, the Surgeon General warned that the United States was facing a "loneliness epidemic," and experts say that the reforms implemented during the pandemic may have exacerbated the situation.

Earlier this month, a Gallup survey concluded that one-fifth of Americans feel lonely every day.

"Social connectedness is increasingly being recognized as a public health issue because of its significant impact on health and healthcare," Dr. Sophie Lazarus, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, told Health magazine. "Lack of social connectedness is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes."

The United States is facing a loneliness epidemic – here are 11 simple ways to connect with others. How Americans are spending their time post-pandemic. In this new study, Morris and his team analyzed data from the American Time Use Survey, which collected responses from 34,000 Americans on how they spent their time in 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2021 (during the pandemic), and 2022 and 2023 (post-pandemic).

Researchers surveyed the time participants spent on multiple activities both inside and outside their homes. They found that since 2019, participants' overall time spent outdoors has decreased by about 53 minutes per day.

The study found that working from home partially explains this trend but does not account for the entire increase in time spent at home. Researchers found that participants also spent less time on the following activities:

Attending live sports events or entertainment
Practicing religion outside the home
Eating or drinking outside the home
Socializing
Shopping
Volunteering
The time spent walking (excluding leisure or dog-walking), driving, or riding public transportation also decreased by 12 minutes per day, which cannot be fully attributed to a reduction in commuting time.

In contrast, many at-home activities increased, including religious activities, eating and drinking, working from home, doing housework, and sleeping.

Spending more time at home is linked to poorer health. Experts say that neither loneliness nor social isolation should be ignored. "Loneliness is a subjective experience of being alone or separated from others," Lazarus said. "You can feel lonely even if you have adequate social contact. Social isolation is an objective state of having little to no social contact or interaction."

While being able to connect online may seem like a solution to loneliness or social isolation, Lazarus said, "Certain aspects of social interaction, like nonverbal cues and physical touch, are things you can't achieve online."

Lack of social engagement can affect one's physical and mental health. "It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, anxiety, and suicide," Lazarus said. "Lack of social engagement is associated with increased mortality, comparable to more well-known risks like smoking, alcohol abuse, or obesity."

Dr. Dawn Potter, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Adult Behavioral Health, told Health magazine that when social isolation starts to affect one's health, they may notice a range of symptoms. "This can lead to more mood disorders – particularly depression – and more anxiety disorders," she explained.

She added that some warning signs should prompt you to reconsider the time you spend at home, including "increased anxiety, decreased self-esteem, reduced positive emotions, decreased motivation, and increased avoidance behaviors."

Potter added that committing to spending more time outdoors can be particularly challenging for people with depression or anxiety, primarily for two reasons. People with depression may feel that outdoor activities may not bring them any joy or meaning, while people with anxiety may worry that spending more time outdoors (e.g., running outside) could endanger them or make them feel uneasy or uncomfortable.

Potter noted that if you think spending more time outdoors could benefit you, it's best to start small rather than reverting to your pre-pandemic daily routine all at once. "We don't have to revert entirely to our previous way of life," she said.

The first step might involve having dinner or watching a movie with friends. If you're a remote worker but have the option to occasionally return to the office, it might be worth spending more time with colleagues.

You can even "force yourself to chat with the grocery store cashier for a bit," Potter said.

Experts say there's no one-size-fits-all answer to how much time you need to spend outdoors to feel your best. Rearranging your outdoor life may require trial and error.

If you've tried to increase your social activities but still feel uneasy, Potter recommends seeing a doctor to see if treatment or medication is needed. "Help is available," she said. "Even if the situation seems overwhelming, it can get better."