I used to hate silence. Silence left me alone with my thoughts, fears, and insecurities—and when they were the only things I could hear, they were nearly screaming at me. A busy schedule, social life, and academic focus left me with little time to think about myself; I was okay with that. I found that when I was alone I dealt with more insecurities, depressed thinking, and self-loathing than ever before. I staved these thoughts off with nights out with friends, music, homework, sports—anything to avoid the quiet, persistent voices of my conscience. Eventually, this practice caught up to me. I began to experience mood swings, lashed out at others, and even accused friends and family of hurting and betraying me (even though I had no proof). Eventually, I found time alone, and in that time I discovered myself. Here are 5 good reasons why being alone is actually one of the best things you can do for yourself.

1. It allows you to unwind.

This one’s a no-brainer. After a day full of work, classes, or even chores, there needs to be a point in which you can sit down and relax. When your brain’s running at full speed, it can be incredibly exhausting. Sit down, relax, and unwind.

2. Alone time helps you refocus.

When you’re doing a lot of things at once, what happens? In my case, you forget things. Car keys go missing, assignments end up incomplete, and everything falls apart. Sometimes, being alone with your thoughts can help you remember critical tasks or key items—like car keys or children.

3. Being alone can relieve stress.

This one’s obvious, but unusual for some people. I’m a 98 percent extrovert according to the Myers-Briggs personality test, so I assumed being around people would help me relax and recharge. As it turns out, people aren’t always the solution. People change, but silence is consistent. Silence allows you to think and reflect about your life, all while enjoying a bit of introspection. Therefore, silence creates order. It’s an amazing phenomenon.

4. Solitude is productive.

When I was alone, I found that I ended up doing really productive things—I learned guitar, I read over 40 Star Trek novels (which might explain my absolute lack of friends during that time period), and I even began playing football. Time alone motivated me to do new things out of sheer boredom.

5. Spending time alone will change your life.

After trying to fight against silence for over a decade, I finally gave up. I began giving myself at least an hour a day in order to listen to my internal dialogue. It made me a different person. I realized most of my thoughts were ridiculous and often didn’t make any sense—they had no basis or reason. I started defining myself as a person, became more confident in who I was and who I wanted to become, and started to change my habits and hobbies.

Being alone can sometimes be uncomfortable and awkward, but the rewards far outweigh the risks. Try to set aside time for yourself—you’ll probably be surprised by what happens next.