The Digital Sunset Routine: Reducing Anxiety Before Bed

 

A recent study completed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine revealed that 74% of Americans report sometimes, always, or often experiencing disrupted sleep due to stress and 68% report losing sleep due to anxiety.

It’s no secret that today’s society is demanding. Everyone has responsibilities they strive to meet, and finding a way to balance them all can feel overwhelming. Often, this stress emerges just as we try to turn our brains off for the day, leading to restless nights. This can result in a frustrating pattern, leading to even more fatigue and burnout over time. The solution to this cycle may lie in what is called the “digital sunset”.

The Digital Sunset

We live in an age where technology continues to grow and become even more relevant in our daily lives. We use our devices to work, connect with loved ones, monitor our health, track our schedules, seek entertainment, and so much more. These tools all have their purpose, but after a full day of screens and the internet, when should we turn off? The idea of the digital sunset forces us to ask this question.

Digital Sunset: The intentional practice of turning off or putting away all electronic devices at a designated time each evening.

The digital sunset routine asks for us to intentionally disconnect from our devices at a designated time in the evening, utilizing the science of our circadian rhythm, melatonin production, and relaxation cues. But before we get into what a digital sunset routine could look like, it’s important to first understand the relationships between sleep, technology, and anxiety.

Sleep, Technology, and Anxiety

Our daily devices give off blue light that has some benefits during the day, but can have some adverse effects at night. Any kind of light at night can have some long-term effects, but blue light specifically can decrease melatonin levels more than other types of light. Why is melatonin important? Melatonin plays an important role in immune, reproduction, and bone health, as well as our sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. An irregular circadian rhythm can have a negative effect on a person’s sleep and daily functioning. When our circadian rhythm is thrown off long-term, it can result in a number of health concerns, including depression and anxiety.

Not only does blue light suppress melatonin production, but it can be over-stimulating for our brain at night. Depending on what we’re engaging with on our device, our brain can feel alert and busy, rather than relaxed. Playing a game or engaging in social media at night may activate the brain’s reward system, much like a slot-machine, making it difficult for the brain to disconnect from that kind of reinforcement.

Certain media like the news, e-mails, fast-paced shows, or social platforms can cause us to become emotionally or physiologically charged. The media we engage in may trigger or remind us to think about things that are stressful such as school, work, news, or other personal struggles. Once those thoughts are triggered, then we may begin to have racing or anxious thinking that can be difficult to turn off. We may also notice physiological changes like increased heart rate or rapid breathing.

4 Steps for Creating Your Own Digital Sunset Routine

Incorporating the digital sunset routine into your lifestyle isn’t quite as simple as turning off your phone. This routine includes many factors to be mindful of in order to reduce anxious thinking before bed and achieve more quality sleep.

Set A Specific Cut-Off Time

One place to start when building your routine could be to think about how long you want our digital sunset to last and at what point in the night we want to start winding down. To be successful in adopting this routine, you want to be consistent with yourself. The digital sunset routine is recommended to be 1–2 hours long, so choose the length of time and stick with it. You also want to choose the same start time for the routine to help foster a regular sleep schedule. If you worry you may be distracted or forget to begin your digital sunset, try setting a reminder, alarm, or utilize a “wind-down” app to mark the beginning of your new routine.

Create a Relaxing Environment

Earlier we explored the negative impacts that overstimulation can have on our ability to fall asleep. To decrease that stimulation a step further, you want to create an environment that is calming, relaxing, and signals to your brain that it is time for rest. Think about your space at home and how you could better prepare it for sleep.

Eliminating screens or turning off notifications can help to avoid distractions that disrupt your routine and set a quiet tone. Dimming the lights and minimizing light all together can mimic a sunset and help create a calm atmosphere. In addition to light, temperature is an important factor to think about. When your body is too hot, it can contribute to overstimulation and your ability to regulate emotions. If you are already having racing thoughts and anxiety that make it a challenge to fall asleep, being too hot can make it even more difficult to manage. Keeping your space cool at night may be a solution.

Replace Screens with Calming Activities

If scrolling on social media or watching short-form content was your nightly ritual, I’m sure you’re wondering what to engage in instead. The key is to engage in activities that have a relaxing effect on your brain and your body.

If you enjoy music, try incorporating calming music into your digital sunset. Relaxing music helps lower cortisol (stress) levels, soothe the autonomic nervous system, and can release dopamine that causes good feelings and can help build a positive association with sleep. This dopamine release can also soothe physical pain held in the body. Nature sounds and white noise are also options.

Other calming activities could include reading a physical book, journal writing, or even coloring. Journaling and coloring can help ease racing thoughts and bring us back to the present moment. Journaling and coloring are both rooted in mindfulness. Some other mindful activities to include in the digital sunset are gentle stretching, yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation.

Be Mindful of Sugar and Caffeine Consumption

Another aspect of your lifestyle is to consider your consumption of caffeine and sugar. Caffeine is a stimulant that activates our brain. If consumed at night or too late in the day, it can interfere with your body’s ability to sleep. Caffeine has a long half-life and can still have an effect on your body long after consumption. Consuming sugar close to bedtime can cause sugar spikes and increased arousal leading to waking up more often and having more inconsistent sleep. Combining both of these can increase challenges with insomnia, increased anxiety, and ultimately a disrupted sleep cycle. The next day you may feel yourself reaching for caffeine or sugar just to get through the day, causing a cycle that has a negative impact on your well-being. If you feel like you want a beverage before bed, opt for caffeine-free tea, like chamomile or peppermint, or a warm glass of milk instead of reaching for coffee or soft drinks.

Small Shifts Toward a Digital Sunset

The digital sunset routine helps with both sleep quality and anxiety before bed, but it doesn’t end there. In addition, adopting elements from the digital sunset can have a positive impact on other areas of wellness. If sleep challenges have been something that have been impacting you for a while, this is a way to regain control of your sleeping habits and improve your quality of life.

If the list of steps and suggestions feels overwhelming, don’t let it scare you. Instead, start with one step and gradually build and customize your own digital sunset. Identify one step that feels most achievable first. Once you’re comfortable with that step and how you’ve adopted it to fit your lifestyle, move on to the next one. Even incorporating just one step in the routine can impact your life in a positive way.

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