Digital Sunset: An Evening Routine for Putting the Screens Down
Let your screens set an hour before you do. A friendly guide to a digital sunset, with analogue hobbies, a bedside notebook and smarter notifications.
The real sunset happens whether we watch it or not. The digital one needs a little help. A digital sunset is simply the moment in the evening when you put your screens down for the night, ideally around an hour before bed, and let the rest of the evening happen in the real world.
Puffin is a natural at this. His phone usually runs out of battery somewhere around the third metro stop, and he has never once regretted it. For the rest of us, it takes a little planning. Here is a friendly, no-guilt guide to building your own digital sunset routine.
Why bother?
Many people find that late-evening scrolling leaves them feeling more wired than relaxed. One video becomes ten, a quick message turns into a long thread, and suddenly it is much later than planned. A digital sunset is a way to reclaim that last part of the day for things that feel calmer and more personal. It is not about being anti-technology. It is about choosing when the screens get your attention.
Step 1: Pick your sunset time
Decide on a time, roughly an hour before you usually go to sleep. If that feels like too much at first, start with thirty minutes and stretch it gradually. The key is consistency. Treat it like a gentle appointment with yourself.
- Set a quiet reminder on your phone for that time, one last useful job before it goes to rest.
- Tell the people you live with. It is easier together, and someone may join you.
Step 2: Give your phone a bedtime
Choose a spot outside the bedroom, or at least out of arm’s reach, where your phone sleeps at night. A shelf in the hallway, a basket in the kitchen, a charging dock by the door. If you rely on your phone as an alarm clock, consider a simple old-fashioned alarm clock instead. It removes the temptation to check „just one thing“ in bed.
Step 3: Sort out your notifications
Most phones have built-in tools that make a digital sunset much easier. Spend ten minutes setting them up once and they will do the work every evening.
- Do Not Disturb or Focus modes: schedule them to switch on automatically at your sunset time. You can usually allow calls from favourite contacts so important people can still reach you.
- Turn off non-essential notifications: apps that buzz with offers, news alerts and likes rarely need to reach you at all, let alone at night.
- Grayscale or bedtime modes: some phones can switch to black and white in the evening, which makes the screen noticeably less tempting.
- App time limits: if one particular app eats your evenings, set a daily limit for it.
Step 4: Choose analogue hobbies
The secret to a successful digital sunset is having something lovely to do instead. Keep a few analogue options within easy reach of your favourite chair.
- Reading: a paper book or magazine. „One more chapter“ is the healthiest kind of one more.
- Puzzles: crosswords, sudoku, a jigsaw slowly taking shape on the table.
- Crafts: knitting, embroidery, sketching, colouring. Puffin’s purple beanie approves.
- Music: a record, or a playlist started before the sunset and left to play. See our playlist for the last train for mood ideas.
- Conversation: talk to whoever is around. Play a card game or a board game.
- Gentle tidying: wash up, water the plants, lay out tomorrow’s clothes. Small jobs, slow pace.
„My phone goes to sleep before me. It’s had a long day too. I sit in my chair and think: nah… just one more page.“ – Puffin
Step 5: Keep a notebook by the bed
One of the main reasons we reach for our phones at night is the fear of forgetting something. A small notebook solves this. Before bed, try:
- Writing tomorrow’s three most important tasks.
- Jotting down anything that is buzzing around your head.
- Noting one or two good moments from the day.
Once it is on paper, it can wait until morning. Many people find this simple habit makes the evening feel noticeably calmer.
Step 6: Make it cosy
A digital sunset works best when the evening feels inviting. Dim the lights, switch on a lamp, pull a blanket over your knees. Make a warm caffeine-free drink. Let your space tell you the day is winding down. For more wind-down ideas, read sleep like a puffin.
When it doesn’t go to plan
Some evenings you will forget, or a friend will call, or you will want to watch a film together. That is fine. A digital sunset is a habit, not a test. If you slip, just try again tomorrow. The goal is more calm evenings over time, not a perfect record.
Puffin’s tip: on clear evenings, swap the screen for the sky. Step outside or open a window and watch the real sunset. Pink clouds, a navy sky, the first lights in the windows across the street. No notification can compete. Stay a little longer and watch the colours fade.
