Cleveland Clinic, researchers offer advice for loneliness during holiday season
AMFM Mental Health Treatment wanted to see how many people are expected to spend Christmas Day alone this year in each state, as loneliness has quietly become one of America’s most widespread public-health issues.
Researchers ranked and weighted each U.S. state according to the population and found that Ohio is the fourteenth loneliest state at Christmas.
An estimated 377,716 residents are expected to spend the day on their own, according to AMFM Mental Health Treatment’s executive director Anand Meta.
“We often think of Christmas as a time of joy, but for many people, it becomes a mirror for everything they feel they’re missing”, Meta said. “Loneliness doesn’t take a holiday, but neither does hope - and the more we normalize these feelings, the easier it becomes to reach out, speak up, or simply take the pressure off a ‘perfect’ Christmas.”
A report from AARP found that 40% of adults surveyed said they felt lonely in 2025.
Lona Choi-Allum is a senior research adviser at AARP.
“We need people to talk about it so there’s not this stigma associated with it,” Choi-Allum said. “We need to find ways to encourage people to connect or reach out to others who might be alone, and to recognize there are barriers that are not visible.”
Expectations about how the holiday “should” look turn private solitude into something that feels like failure, leaving many people dreading a day that is meant to feel joyful.
For anyone spending the holidays alone - whether through distance, estrangement, work schedules or recent life changes —feelings of loneliness and isolation can come up.
The Cleveland Clinic offers tips to cope with loneliness, including socializing and keeping up with the different activities that bring joy.
Professionals say prioritizing good sleep, healthy eating and regular exercise can help as well.
If you’re looking for something to do during the week of Dec. 20, consider attending or volunteering at community dinners, including:
- Rae’s Safe Haven Christmas Meal on Dec. 20 at 4 - 7 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave., in Youngstown
- First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown’s winter solstice celebration from 6:30 - 9 p.m. on Dec. 20 at 1105 Elm St. in Youngstown
- St. Vincent Christmas Party on Dec. 23 at 11 a.m. at Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Mahoning County, 430 Williamson Ave., in Youngstown
Dec. 21 is also the first day of winter. One way to beat loneliness is by getting out of the house and starting a snowy hiking expedition or other outdoor winter activities.
