What To Do When Bored at Night: 13 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. These ideas can end boring nights, reduce your stress and let you spend your time meaningfully.

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 a Hobby

Is there a hobby you’re interested in? The nights you’re free are the best time to get to it. If you love to sew, try a new baking recipe or create entertaining videos, you can skip the boring nights by trying them out. You may also master a hobby and use your skills to earn some money on the side. Hobbies are fun and your free time worthwhile.

3. Fix 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. Pile your books neatly on the shelf. A clean space helps you think clearly and boost your mood. 

4. Do Yoga

While it’s ideal for exercising in the morning, it can’t be helped if you’re swamped with work during the day. 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 has significant health benefits. It 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? Chilling with your cat or dog has stress-relieving benefits. 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.

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

Whether it’s with your senior parents or siblings, the classic game nights make family evenings fun. You can spice up the challenge by placing a bet. Scrabbles, chess and checkers are the top picks for board games. But you can also switch to poker and solitaire if you get bored playing chess. Games bring out your competitive side and end boring nights. 

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. Your kitchen might need a lighter color to make it brighter. Completing a DIY project feels satisfying. You also save money since you don’t have to hire someone to fix things at home. 

9. Plan Your Future

Don’t know what to do when bored at night? Thinking about the future is perhaps the last thing on your mind, but setting goals for you to achieve in the next year isn’t meaningless — it’s 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

A new skill can save you from a job loss, so use your time to learn something new. Open your computer and take courses on one high-paying skill you want to know. Develop your skills in advertising, social media management and content marketing, as these are in demand in online marketing. It helps if you have a backup plan in case you lose your job or want to trade your skills for money on the side. 

11. Shop Online

When you don’t know what to do when bored at night, checking items out sounds like the perfect nighttime activity. Shop on discount online stores if you’re on a budget. Otherwise, go wild with your favorite luxuries. You may find it therapeutic. A silent, boring night is the best time to indulge in a shopping spree. 

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. 

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.