What To Do When Bored at Night: 35 Meaningful Ways to De-stress

Do you have some free time at night? If you feel bored after dinner and don’t know what to do with your extra time, try these engaging and fun activities alone or with your family and friends. Avoid endless scrolling and do something that will actually help you unwind. These ideas can end boring nights, reduce your stress and let you spend your time meaningfully.

Activities to Do When Bored at Night

Whether it’s a new hobby, a productive task or a fitness routine, this list is sure to give you inspiration for what to do when you’re bored.

1. Practice Self-Care

One of the most meaningful things to do at night is to practice self-care. Each person has a different definition of me-time. For you, it may include soaking in the bath while drinking your favorite wine with scented candles lit up. For others, it’s a simple facial or tea time. Self-care is vital for mental health and if your night is free, use that to relax and pamper yourself. 

2. Master Your Hobby

Do you have a hobby that you haven’t engaged with in a while? It can be tempting to turn the TV on or scroll on social media when you’re bored, but practicing your hobby is much more rewarding. Start with something you already love and find ways to level up your skills. If you like to bake, find a new recipe that will challenge you. For readers, finally knock out that 800-pager that’s been sitting on your shelf.

3. Clean Your Room

If you can’t prioritize cleaning during the day because of your work and other responsibilities, do it at night. Vacuum the floor and arrange your closet. You might find clothes you no longer need, so you can sell or give them away. Organize your furniture and add some decorations to redo your private area. A clean space helps you think clearly and boost your mood. 

4. Do Yoga

Yoga is an easy activity you can do at home. Roll out your yoga mat and squeeze in your physical activity routine at night. Do some poses and stretches or follow a tutorial from YouTube. Exercise helps you relax before bedtime to get a good night’s sleep. 

5. Play With Your Pet

If you don’t know what to do when bored at night, have fun with your pet. Your fur baby may just be as bored, so why not spend time together? You can cuddle or teach them tricks. You can also pamper them with treats or play with them with toys. Spending time together strengthens your bond and has stress-relieving benefits.

6. Practice Your Music Skills

If you play a guitar, violin or piano, you should hone your skills to the next level by spending extra time practicing. Your talent in playing instruments may come in handy in the future — even if you do it only for fun today. Set some time to refine your skills. Playing a mellow piece on a piano may help you unwind and put you in a better mood. 

7. Play Board and Card Games

Gather up your family, friends or roommates for a good old fashioned game night. You can break out a classic board game like Scrabble or Monopoly, or try to learn a new card game. A friendly game of chess or poker will beat your boredom instantly.

8. Do a DIY Project

Have you been planning to repaint a piece of furniture or change your room’s wallpaper? If you run out of clues about what to do during your free time, a simple home upgrade can be your next DIY project. Check around the home for things that need some fixing or redecorating. Completing a DIY project feels satisfying, and it can also save money since you don’t have to hire someone to do it. 

9. Plan Your Future

Thinking about the future is perhaps the last thing on your mind when you’re bored, but setting goals for you to achieve in the next year is one of the most productive things to do. Whether it’s a fitness, financial or career goal you want to accomplish in the next 12 months, sit down and map out the steps needed to reach your aim. Planning is also an excellent approach to relieving stress and breaking away from the spiral of overthinking thought patterns. 

10. Learn One New Thing

If you want to use your time productively, open your computer and take courses on one skill you want to know. You could choose a life skill, like sewing or cooking, or a career-related skill, like coding or content marketing. Having a certificate related to the field you work in (or want to work in) can open doors in your career path.

11. Shop Online

We all love to indulge in retail therapy from time to time. While you don’t want to make this your daily routine, it can be fun and productive to do a little online shopping. Think about things you actually need first. Maybe your favorite sweater has a hole, so it’s time to replace it. You can also start your holiday shopping early and find the perfect gifts for your loved ones.

12. Call Your Loved Ones

The nighttime is an opportunity to catch up with your family if you don’t live together. You can also call friends you haven’t talked to in a while and see how they’re doing. Instead of just staring at the ceiling, dial someone’s number and find out how their day went and what they are up to. Connecting with the people important to you is another way of saying you love and think of them. 

13. Meditate 

Bored or not, meditation or any mindfulness practice should be part of your evening routine. It can help you sleep better and wake up with restored energy the next day. After dinner is the best time to wind down and prepare for the night. You can download meditation apps on your phone to guide you through the process, even if you’re new to it. A brief guided meditation while lying down puts your subconscious in a relaxed state so you get deeper sleep. 

14. Budget Journal

Whether you enjoy normal journaling or not, starting a budget journal is a wise activity for anyone. Write down your monthly expenses and try to find areas where you can cut back. You can also set savings goals and track them to motivate you. You can use any notebook you have, or you can buy a dedicated budget planner. If you don’t want a physical journal, you can make a spreadsheet on your computer.

15. Make a Vision Board

A vision board can help you plan for your future, or it can be a simply fun craft idea. Find old magazines or print out pictures from the Internet of things that inspire you. Maybe you want to revamp your wardrobe or work towards renovating your house. Add pictures of the styles you’re going for to help make your dreams a reality.

16. Plan a Vacation

What destination is at the top of your bucket list? Think about what your dream vacation is and take a step forward by planning the trip. You can make a spreadsheet to list places you want to go, restaurants you want to try, flight and hotel rates and possible dates. It can be fun to imagine what your trip will be like, and mapping it out will help you decide if it’s realistic.

17. Sing Karaoke

You don’t need to leave the house to enjoy some karaoke. Pull up YouTube and search for any song you want to sing. You can invite friends over or do it by yourself for a fun stress reliever. Find a song you feel confident singing and be ready to perform it next time you go to a karaoke bar.

18. Have a Dance Party

Just like karaoke, dancing is another activity you don’t need to go out for. Blast your favorite songs and dance like no one’s watching. You could learn a specific dance by following a video tutorial, or you can just let the music move you. Dancing is a fun way to exercise, and it has several mental health benefits.

19. Practice Hairstyles or Makeup

Have you been bored with your everyday hairstyle or makeup routine? Shake it up by learning some new techniques. Nighttime is a great time to try something bold, because you can just wash it off if you don’t like it. No need to worry about ruining your makeup before you head to the office.

20. Do a Puzzle

A puzzle is a great option for those who love board games but are spending the night alone. Puzzles are a fun and mentally-stimulating solo activity. You can start small then work your way up to 1,000 or more pieces.

21. Play the NYT Games

If you don’t have any games or puzzles on hand, the New York Times has you covered. You can play several of their games and puzzles for free online, including Wordle and Connections. You can also get a subscription to play the daily crossword puzzle so you have something to do every night.

22. Look for Constellations

Head outside and look up at the night sky. Unless you live in a busy city, you can try to look for constellations and planets. Read up on astronomy so you can identify the stars. If you enjoy it, you can consider investing in a telescope to get a better view.

23. Crochet or Knit

Crochet and knit are fun hobbies that are perfect for a cozy night in. The materials to get started are simple: yarn, knitting needles or crochet hooks. You can follow online tutorials to make anything you want, like hats, sweaters, scarves, bags or other accessories. Your creations will also make great gifts for birthdays and holidays.

24. Digitize and Shred Papers

Getting rid of old paperwork is something we all procrastinate. That’s why it’s the perfect boredom activity. When you have nothing else to do, go through you old stacks of papers, take pictures of the important onces and upload them to your computer. Then shred them, along with anything unimportant. It will be oddly satisfying and a super productive task.

25. Clean Your Makeup Brushes

When was the last time you did this? Be honest. Next time you’re bored give your makeup brushes and beauty blenders a good wash. Your face will thank you later.

26. Do Your Laundry

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s still a good reminder. Some people like to save their laundry for Sundays, but who says you can’t get ahead on it when you’re bored on a Wednesday night? It’s also the perfect time to wash things that aren’t normally on your laundry radar, like throw pillow cases, jackets, blankets and kitchen towels.

27. Put Together a Donation Box

Walk around your house and look for items you no longer need or use and put them in a box to donate. Decluttering is an essential way to keep your home clean, which in turn helps reduce your stress levels. Pick a room and go through each item to decide if you still need it. Your closet or kitchen cabinets are great places to start.

28. Plan Your Meals

Thinking about what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day can be a headache. Next time you’re bored, look up some recipes and meal prep ideas to plan ahead. Having a list of meal ideas can help reduce your decision fatigue the rest of the week.

29. Try New Outfit Combinations

Buying new clothes can be fun, but it’s not great for your wallet. Instead, go through your closet and try to find new outfit combinations. Try on a shirt with bottoms you’ve never pair with it before and see how you like it. You can even take pictures of the looks you like so you remember to wear them next time you go out.

30. Color

Coloring books are a great, mindless activity to do when bored. Break out the colored pencils and color just like you did when you were bored as a kid. This activity is relaxing and therapeutic, and it doesn’t matter if you mess up.

31. Write a Story or Poem

You don’t need to be a professional writer to enjoy the activity. Look up writing prompts or think about something that inspires you. Writing is a fun creative outlet, and you never know where your mind will go.

32. Junk Journal

Junk journaling is like a cross between journaling and scrapbooking. You use things you collect throughout the day to create fun layouts in a notebook. For example, if you went to an amusement park, you can fill your page with a ride ticket, a piece of the park map, a tag from a stuffed animal you won and any other “trash” that can be taped into your journal. Finish it by printing a picture from the day and writing a few sentences to remember what you did.

33. Create an Exercise Routine

Exercising will improve both your physical fitness and your mental health. Do some research to figure out what at-home routine will work for you. You can follow videos online or make up your own routine. Even a quick workout will be enough to bust your boredom and boost your mood.

34. Recite Affirmations

Saying positive affirmations can help relieve anxiety and boost your confidence. Find some affirmations that resonate with you, and say them out loud. If you do this every time you’re bored, you’ll start to notice your increased self-esteem in no time.

35. Do Something You’ve Been Putting Off

What’s that one chore you’ve been procrastinating for months? Maybe it’s cleaning your car, organizing your pantry or vacuuming the whole house. Whatever it is, now is the time to do it. Once the task is done, you’ll feel a weight lift off your shoulders, and you’ll truly be able to relax.

End Boring Nights With Meaningful Nighttime Activities

During the day, stress knocks out your body and mind. The evenings are the ideal time to relieve the accumulated stress and do something fun by yourself or with your family. When you run out of ideas on what to do when bored at night, no worries, as the options are endless.

You choose how to spend your nighttime, but self-care, yoga or starting a DIY project are activities that add meaning to your life. All these can help you forget your problems and sleep better at night.

Originally Published 8/24/2023 – Updated 9/18/2024