Go dark at sundown.

Here’s the concept: power down at sundown. Going off the grid saves electricity, saves money, and reduces your carbon footprint. 

Settle in for an evening with candles or a crackling fire. Get out your favorite book or board game, or take a bath. Have conversations with the people you live with or spend some QT with your pet. Enjoy the dark. 

Or—and this might sound crazy!—go to bed. It might feel absurd to hit the hay at moonrise, but it will be the soundest sleep, and sound sleep does a soul good.

I’m sure we’ve all felt the effects of artificial light, and especially blue light, which disrupts our body’s melatonin production and makes it harder to fall asleep. Unfortunately, the electronics we are tethered to by day do not promote sound sleep, as many studies show.⁠ Power down once a week, and you’ll give your body and brain the chance to rejuvenate and recharge. 

I’d argue that doing dark at sundown is a bit easier during these long summer nights with sunset after 8:30 PM (compared to early sunsets of Winter). Go on, turn off the lights and give it a try! 

Bonus: Have “Cell Phone Free Family Night” 

At dinnertime, put an away message on your phone and turn off your computers for the night. No texting, no scrolling, no searching, no researching. If you must, watch a movie or read (even with the lights on). It’s not fully off the grid, but it’s a move in that direction for both your brains and your meter.⁠⠀