I’m the first to admit that I love time alone, snuggled up under a blanket on the sofa!

However not all the time….As humans we are by and large, gregarious in nature and seek out friendships and moments of togetherness with others.

Some research says that loneliness can be as bad for your heart as being overweight: One literature review even found that lacking a social connection can be more dangerous than smoking 15 cigarettes a day and deadlier than obesity!

Kurt Vonnegut, an American writer said: “What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.”

It’s also strange how that even now we have more social media, more WiFi and more technology, people are reporting an increase in feelings of loneliness and isolation.

So what’s the cure to this then? Well for me, it’s about putting my phone down, speaking to people, and getting outside with people to feel more connected.

It’s about checking up on your neighbours and connecting with friends and family.

Making time to be with others in real life, and not just a quick text, or a like on a Facebook post.

Us humans are by our very nature gregarious and need contact with others but that doesn’t mean that you can’t also plan time to be alone. Planned alone time for me is restoring, and I know many others too who like time alone.

Finally there’s a saying that you can be lonely in a crowd, so it’s not just about physically being around other people, but truly connecting with them as it’s an essential part of our well-being.

Clare is a born and bred Worcester resident, trainer, coach and author of two books.

www.the-compassionate-coach.com