🥼Digital-Free Evening Routine Experiment
Focus: Implement a digital detox after sunset (around 5pm at the time of this experiment), using the time for journaling, reflecting, listening to podcasts and reading.
Duration: 2-3 weeks
Tracking: Sleep quality, evening relaxation, and next-day focus levels.
Goal: Explore how disconnecting from screens influences mindfulness, rest, and productivity.
Why This Experiment?
This year, I am consciously honouring the season of shorter days and longer nights by dimming the lights, lighting candles, and embracing restful evening activities. By observing nature’s rhythms, I aim to live more harmoniously with cyclical changes and improve my physical, emotional, and spiritual health. I also want to eliminate blue light after sunet, which supports natural melatonin production and better rest.
Cyclical living has taught me that winter is a time for reflection, stillness, and quiet growth—not for great action. I see this experiment as an opportunity to lean into the season’s natural flow and explore new ways to wind down intentionally.
My Baseline Before the Experiment
I already had strong habits around screen time. My husband, Mark, and I reserve streaming TV or movies for weekends (if at all). Over the past year, I’ve consciously reduced my screen usage, maintaining an average phone time of ~2 hours daily. My evenings often included light scrolling through social media or watching YouTube (a mix of murder mysteries and capsule wardrobe content), but nothing excessive.
I spend 5-7 hours on the computer most days for work, so I already value keeping my evenings tech-free whenever possible. However, I still noticed a slight reliance on screens during quiet moments and wanted to test whether a complete detox after sunset would deepen my relaxation and mindfulness.
My Approach
I kept the experiment simple:
No screen time after 5 PM. I still permitted myself to listen to podcasts or guided meditations as long as my phone remained in focus mode with very few apps showing.
Blue light management: I set my phone to no blue light (night shift mode isn’t enough to eliminate blue light), turned off all blue lights (only used amber-toned lights) and dimmed lights to below 10 LUX, ensuring a calming environment.
Evening wind-down activities: My evenings now follow a gentle rhythm:
A hot shower
Skincare routine
Occasional light yoga
Journaling
Reading (if the low lighting allows it)
Listening to podcasts about health, circadian rhythms, or mitochondrial health—my current obsessions.
By 9:30 PM, I naturally wind down for sleep, making this routine seamless to follow.
Observations and Insights
While I didn’t notice a major improvement in sleep quality (my sleep was already solid), I experienced a deeper sense of alignment with the winter season:
Embracing quiet reflection: The long evenings encouraged longer journal entries. I found myself contemplating where I am in life, how I’m feeling, and dreaming about what I want to create in the new year.
Reduced screen vortex: This routine strengthened my screen-time habits. After being on a computer all day, it felt nourishing to avoid scrolling or defaulting to distractions.
Creativity and flow: I noticed a surge of creativity in the evenings, with ideas flowing naturally. I captured this energy in my journal and allowed it to fuel my business planning without feeling overstimulated.
Learning and passion: Listening to circadian and quantum biology health podcasts sparked even more motivation for building habits aligned with natural rhythms. It reinforced my excitement for these small, powerful changes.
Appreciation for the season: Instead of feeling frustrated about early sunsets, I began to celebrate the beauty of darkness. The evenings felt like an invitation to rest, reflect, and slow down—a stark contrast to the world’s usual busyness.
Results and Takeaways
This experiment solidified the importance of aligning with the natural season. My evenings now feel richer, calmer, and more intentional.
Mindfulness and relaxation: Disconnecting from screens after 5 PM enhanced my ability to be present, whether journaling, enjoying silence, or listening to a podcast.
Improved screen habits: This detox reinforced that screens are not the default evening activity—I have so many other fulfilling ways to spend my time. My phone screen time during this experiment was on average 1 hour per day (wow).
Deeper reflection: Winter evenings now feel sacred, a time for quiet creativity and thoughtful contemplation. This rhythm feels deeply restorative.
Will I Keep This Going?
Absolutely. This experiment has become a grounding habit, and I see it as an essential part of my evening routine. It’s helped me:
Maintain a better relationship with screens.
Appreciate the beauty of restful evenings.
Create space for mindfulness and creativity.
If you’re looking to implement a digital detox, here are a few tips:
Make a list of alternatives: time goes by quickly when you fill it with activities you enjoy—reading, journaling, yoga, or even crafts.
Reduce home lighting: Set the mood with dim or red lights to calm your mind and support melatonin production.
Make your phone less appealing: Use focus modes and filters to make your phone less tempting (and less bright).
Final Reflection
This experiment has helped me honour winter’s quiet beauty while cultivating habits that support my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. By embracing slower evenings, I’ve found harmony with the season and a deeper appreciation for its stillness.
The result? More presence, more reflection, and more joy.
Next Steps: Keep this routine going and continue exploring seasonal rhythms to align productivity, rest, and creativity throughout the year.
My Experiment Supplies
🔗Amber night lights & amber light bulbs.
🔗 Portable lamp with zero blue & green light setting.
👩🏼🏫 Instructions on how to remove the blue light from iPhone.
👩🏼🏫 Instructions on how to remove the blue light from Android.
🎧 One of my favourite podcasts on circadian health for the winter.
💻 Iris computer software to reduce blue light and flicker from the computer screen.
