From spending time alone to embracing the joys of single life, solitude is increasingly being recognised not as isolation but as enrichment—a perspective championed by a growing wave of books, films, and digital content.

In Wim Wenders’ recent film Perfect Days, the protagonist, a Tokyo toilet cleaner, spends much of his time alone—watering plants, reading, listening to music. While more characters appear as the story unfolds, it’s the earlier, quieter moments that many viewers found most profound. BBC critic Nicholas Barber described the film as “a meditation on the serenity of an existence stripped to its essentials.” No surprise, then, that stories celebrating solitude are gaining traction—on screens, in bookstores, and across social media. It seems there’s never been a better time to be alone, as it suggests in an article by BBC.

A literary embrace of solitude

In recent years, several books have explored solitude’s value. Titles like Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone and Solo: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own were published in 2024, while Nicola Slawson’s Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms came out this February. Just last month, Emma Gannon released her much-anticipated novel Table for One. Having made her mark with non-fiction that questions traditional views on success, Gannon now turns to fiction with a love story about a woman who finds happiness not through a partner, but through herself.

Later this year, more titles will join this movement. Cynthia Zak’s The Joy of Sleeping Alone and Robert Coplan’s The Joy of Solitude: How to Reconnect with Yourself in an Overconnected World will both be released, alongside an English translation of Daniel Schreiber’s reflective Alone, first published in Germany in 2021.

Rethinking loneliness

These works share a common goal: to destigmatise solitude and highlight its joys. That may seem surprising, given the widespread concern over loneliness following the pandemic—what the US Surgeon General called a “loneliness epidemic” in 2023. “Post-pandemic, there was intense focus on loneliness, and rightly so,” says Coplan, a psychology professor at Carleton University and author of The Joy of Solitude. “But that focus often gave solitude a bad name—throwing the baby out with the bath water.”

Now, a shift is underway. Writers and researchers are eager to clarify the difference between being lonely and being alone by choice. “Loneliness is a harmful state that some people endure, but it’s not the same as solitude,” says journalist Heather Hansen, co-author of Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone. “Solitude is often a deliberate, fulfilling choice.” Having watched the media focus narrowly on loneliness, Hansen believes many people are quietly redefining what alone time means to them.

Changing scripts

Writer Emma Gannon believes the pandemic helped people better understand the difference between isolation and chosen solitude. “We were either confined with others or faced long stretches alone. It made space for nuanced conversations,” she says. That includes a growing re-evaluation of romantic relationships among Gen Z and millennials, and a cultural shift toward valuing single life on its own terms.

In Table for One, Gannon’s protagonist invests in a relationship with herself—a story that resonates with many who feel pressured to “settle down.” A 2023 US survey found that two in five Gen Z and millennial respondents viewed marriage as outdated. In the UK, fewer than half of Gen Z are expected to marry, according to the Office for National Statistics.

This sentiment is echoed online. A viral TikTok from April—liked over a million times—featured a man discussing the experience of dating women who live alone by choice. Many women found his observations strikingly accurate. Nicola Slawson, who based her book Single on her Substack The Single Supplement, isn’t surprised. “The number of people living alone in the UK has been growing for over a decade,” she says. With that comes greater acceptance of independence and a move away from outdated domestic expectations—especially for women.

The art of solitude

The allure of solitude is not new. Artists have long explored its emotional and aesthetic dimensions. Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (c. 1817), part of the Hamburger Kunsthalle’s collection, captures the beauty of aloneness. In the 20th century, American painter Edward Hopper became known for his evocative portrayals of solitary urban life. A 2022 New Yorker review of a Hopper retrospective at the Whitney Museum observed, “His images of apparent loneliness seem somehow anything but grim—rather proudly self-reliant.”

Daniel Schreiber believes that the link between being alone and being unhappy has been overstated. “Romantic love isn’t the only model of a meaningful life,” he says. “Society now better recognises alternative ways of living.”

Living solo, well

Peter McGraw, professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Colorado and author of Solo, agrees. “There’s a mythology that we must marry to be fulfilled,” he says. “But marriage was largely a business deal, historically speaking.” Citing multiple studies, McGraw argues that while happiness may spike around marriage, the effect often fades.

Even for those in relationships, solitude has its place. In The Joy of Sleeping Alone, Cynthia Zak explores how many women prefer sleeping solo, even when partnered. Originally written in Spanish, her book encourages people to claim personal space, reflect freely, and challenge limiting beliefs.

So how do we make the most of solitude?

Experts agree: the key is intention and balance. “The greatest indicator of successful solitude is that someone has chosen it for a meaningful reason,” says Hansen. She describes solitude as “a neutral blob of sculpting clay—it becomes what we shape it into.”

For McGraw, that doesn’t mean “lying in bed, vaping and ordering Uber Eats.” Instead, he recommends using solo time for pursuits that thrive in quiet: walking, journaling, taking an online course, or simply sitting in a bath listening to Vivaldi.

Finding meaning in the moment

For those who are single, Slawson suggests not putting life on hold. “I used to wait until I found a partner to do things. But life isn’t a waiting room,” she says. McGraw agrees: “You don’t have to follow the script. Now, there’s an alternative.”

Emma Gannon sees solitude as a creative spark. “It helps ideas flow, encourages problem-solving, and reconnects you with yourself,” she says. Journaling, appreciating textures, tastes, and sounds—these small rituals can make alone time rich with meaning.

Zak encourages treating solitude as sacred: “Ask yourself—what’s your favourite thing to do alone? Turn that into a small jewel and cherish it.”

And finally, balance remains essential. “Humans do need social connection,” says Coplan. “But they also need solitude. Finding your unique balance is the key to wellbeing.”