"After a hard day at work, the last thing you want to do is fritter away your precious downtime slumped on the sofa in a dazed doomscroll. Yet, in the absence of a better plan, it happens with depressing ease. How we spend the hours between shutting down the laptop and slipping under the duvet affects sleep quality, mood and how restored we feel the next day. So, how can we reclaim those lost evenings?"
"According to Jason Ellis, a professor of psychology at Northumbria University and director of the Northumbria centre for sleep research, establishing a regular end-of-day routine sends a signal to your brain that you are making a shift between work mode, and rest and recreation. It's about putting the day to bed before you go to bed, he says. Gretchen Rubin an author, podcaster and creator of the Happiness Project agrees."
"When Rubin's working day is finished, she spends a few minutes tidying up and rewriting her to-do list. Then she gets out her watercolours and paints for a while, although she says the activity itself isn't important. It could be going for a walk, or playing with your dog; the important thing is that it marks the transition between work and free time."
Establishing a regular end-of-day routine signals the brain to shift from work mode to rest and recreation, promoting better sleep, mood and restoration. Small rituals such as tidying up, rewriting a to-do list, painting, walking, or playing with a pet can mark that transition; the specific activity matters less than the boundary it creates. Reducing phone and screen engagement after work — for example turning the phone off or placing it out of reach — prevents continued cognitive stimulation. Research suggests the effect of blue light depends on device activity, distinguishing active use (emails, social media) from passive use (reading).
Read at www.theguardian.com
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