The freedom of alone time can feel limitless, yet this privacy can also foster some risky behaviors you’d avoid with company.
The hot bath jump
We all love running to the bathroom to take a hot bath when we think nobody is home to bother us. But without someone around to notice, dropping into scalding hot water without checking first can cause disastrous results.
If you end up with thermal shock or even slight burns, you could pass out or slip and fall, with no one around to hear you. Paramedics frequently see solo bathers more likely to faint because of the sudden blood pressure change from the heat.
Take the time to test the water with your elbow or toe first. Even seconds can count when you’re alone in the bathroom.
The unlocked shower door
You won’t hear someone opening a door, breaking a window, or even know your house is on fire over the sound of your pulse-jetting shower head.
Plenty of thieves target homes based on evidence that only one person is home, showering. Why? This gives them a precise timeframe to operate without interruption.
Remember to lock up your primary entry points for reasons other than stolen goods. Don’t let anyone trap you in your most defenseless spot.
Combining cleaners
Don’t you just love it when you suddenly have the urge to deep clean your entire house? I agree, and now you’re essentially gambling with those chemicals.
Most people make the mistake of combining all their cleaning chemicals in close quarters, without realizing it.
Bleach and ammonia create a lethal combination of chloramine gases that will suffocate you in seconds. Adding a good toilet bowl cleaner to the mix also releases chloramine.
Now imagine you are alone and feeling dizzy, who’s going to pull you outside or call for medical help?
Drowsy medication
It’s easy to test-drive that sleep medication you got or really feel like taking that extra-strength cold medicine when you’re home alone. But if your body has a bad reaction to a medication, you could experience what’s known as a “parasomnia”.
Without someone there to notice you’re sleepwalking and wake you up, these side effects could cause severe bodily harm.
If a new medication makes you sleepy, it’s smart to text a friend so they can check on you the next day.
Ladder work
Changing that lightbulb or retrieving that box in the attic may be tempting to do by yourself, but ladder work is one of the top reasons people find themselves in the ER every year. Lean too far, and that sturdy ladder will scoot out from under you.
Falling six feet from your roof can cause what’s known as a “mechanical fall” injury and leave you unable to move far enough away to call for help.
The “four-to-one” ladder rule is a good start, but the real advice from safety groups is to avoid the top rungs when you’re alone. If you fall off, you’ll be spending the rest of the day on the floor.
Plugged ears
Sure, solitude can be nice, but total quiet can also mean cutting yourself off from crucial environmental cues.
Will you hear the pot boiling over on the stove? Will you hear your dog get onto something poisonous before he gobbles it all down? Will you hear the localized house fire brewing in the next room over?
In an environment of zero noise, you only know there’s an emergency when you see it, which is likely too late.
If you must jam out to your tunes or favorite podcast, consider keeping one earbud out.
Eating with distractions
When no one’s around to save you with the Heimlich maneuver, eating with distractions like your phone or TV is way riskier than you think.
If you aren’t paying attention when you chew, you’re susceptible to bolus choking, and you only have seconds to save yourself by using the back of a chair.
Most people assume they can just do the Heimlich on themselves, but there’s a particular type of inward and upward thrust you make against a hard surface.
Take small bites, and pay attention when you’re eating alone.
Testing power
Heading into the dark abyss of your basement or garage to reset your circuit breaker when the power goes out is dangerous.
It’s not just a tripping risk in cramped spots; now you’re rushing around with only your phone’s light, hugely increasing the odds of a head injury if you stumble.
Circuit breakers can also arc every now and then, and if you get zapped or caught in a flash, someone needs to be there to escort you out of the room.
Have a flashlight ready (just for this, not your phone), and move slowly when messing with your house’s nerves.
Posting
Posting that you are finally taking some me-time on your story is effectively putting a digital sign on your front door that says “target on ground.”
Even if your account is private, meta-data about your location or distinguishable background objects can clue in the neighbors about your home’s occupancy.
Security experts refer to this as “digital window shopping,” allowing opportunists to monitor a house for that perfect opportunity bracket when nobody should be approaching the home.
Post those relaxing homebody photos or videos when you’re done enjoying your alone time, or wait until the next day.
Slippery socks
Believe it or not, slick socks on hard floors contribute to numerous yearly injuries in homes where people live solo.
Bare socks simply don’t provide the grip of shoes or feet on wood, so any sudden stop (like rounding a corner) can send your feet shooting out from under you and cause serious hip or wrist injuries.
When you’re alone, you move around faster and clumsier since you don’t have to weave around other humans.
Even if you can steady yourself after slipping, the slipperiness of your floor may make it difficult to crawl for help.
Flame danger
Space heaters or scented candles are relaxing when you’re spending quality alone-time with yourself, but they’re also responsible for the largest percentage of house fires.
All it takes is an errant space heater nudging up against a curtain or blanket to start a flash fire that expands faster than it takes to reach an extinguisher.
Plus, when you’re by yourself, you’re more likely to zone out and forget the darn thing is even on.
Heavy weights
Trying to bench press or squat alone in your garage gym can lead to potentially deadly entrapment accidents where the bar traps you on the rack.
Sadly, some lifters have lost their lives to positional asphyxia, unable to move the bar from their chest.
If you lift alone, use dumbbells instead of machines, or perform squats and bench presses in a power rack with safety spotter arms.
Dying phone
While you may be safe inside, your cell phone is your lifeline to the outside world if an emergency happens.
Sleeping with your phone at 1% or 2% battery while tucked away in your room or bed is basically ensuring you can’t dial 911 if the power goes out or you hear someone jimmying your door.
Think of your phone as vital safety equipment instead of solely a personal entertainment device when you’re alone. And keep a charger in your bedroom, or wherever you spend the majority of your time alone.
Ghosting noise
Sure, houses settle and make noise, yet dismissing a repeated or strange sound could prove fatal when you’re the only one to hear it.
An unfamiliar noise can be the first indication of a broken pipe, a dying appliance, or even insects crawling behind your walls, about to cause an electrical fire.
There’s nothing cool about being “chill” when you hear something bizarre in the middle of the night. Take care of small problems while they’re small. When things don’t feel right, go see what’s happening.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
