AILSA CHANG, HOST:

According to census data, more than 36 million Americans live by themselves. That means a lot of people are riding out stay-at-home orders alone.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

And while things like video chat and social media make it easy to feel connected even when we're apart, you may still feel like something is missing.

CHANG: That's because humans crave physical closeness. And as a species, we've evolved as a social community. So what do you do when community is gone?

KELLY: One option - try going back to nature.

CHANG: Billy Barr knows about going back to nature. He's the only full-time resident of Gothic, Colo. Barr lives inside an abandoned silver mine in the Rocky Mountains. He told NPR member station KUNC that one of his tips for coping with social isolation is to embrace the grumpiness.

KELLY: Yeah. Don't force yourself to be pleasant. That might make you feel better. Also, listen to NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.