Unlock These 6 Insanely Simple Evening Habits That Experts Swear By—And Watch Your Happiness Skyrocket Like a Celebrity Scandal!
Added on May 31, 2025 inASTROLOGY CARDS
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Ever find yourself doomscrolling through a sea of bad news, binge-watching some tearjerker drama while your mind races through every little ‘oops’ moment of your day, year, heck—even your whole life? Yeah, me too. But spoiler alert: that’s not the secret sauce to catching some quality Z’s or waking up feeling like a happy, content human. Turns out, there’s a cosmic connection (maybe Mercury’s finally in retrograde for all the right reasons?) between how much we sleep and just how darn happy we feel. A 2023 study spanning 52 countries found this fascinating dance between national sleep averages and national happiness levels—though the chicken or egg debate still lingers: are longer sleepers happier, or do happier nations snooze longer? Either way, one thing’s for sure: sleep and happiness are cosmic companions. So, what if you shook up your nightly routine a bit? Stick around as we uncover six evening habits that folks who seem to have cracked the happiness code swear by—no astrology chart required, just some simple tweaks you can start tonight. LEARN MORE.
Doomscrolling your evening away while streaming a drama series and overthinking every little thing you might have done wrong with your day, week, year, and life. This is not the recipe for a restful night’s sleep nor a life lived happily and content. Not everyone is living this way, and they tend to be a lot happier.
A 2023 study in Frontiers in Sleep investigated sleep duration in a sample of 52 countries and showed a strong intercorrelation between the national average of sleep duration and national happiness, or subjective well-being.” It was uncertain whether “people in countries with longer sleep duration are happier or that in happy countries people sleep longer. Whatever the direction of the relationship is, sleep and happiness are strongly related to each other.”
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Psychologist T.J. Price recommends using this well-known exercise, which is based in Positive Psychology, to help train your brain for happiness. A study in The Journal of Clinical Psychology showed “Brief, positive psychology interventions may boost happiness through a common factor involving the activation of positive, self-relevant information rather than through other specific mechanisms.”
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Before going to sleep, life coach Ellen Kamaras advises to articulate three things you are grateful for, listen to calming music, avoid watching the news, and don’t go to sleep angry. A 2012 study from the Personality and Individual Differences Journal demonstrated how mindset, in particular, induced stress from uncontrollable personal problems is a leading factor for insomnia.
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When you express your gratitude towards the universe and nature, says life coach Sidhharrth S Kumaar, it enhances happiness and personal growth. Part of the ritual can be to curate a reflection journal, which helps you in reviewing your day with a vision of learning and growing.
In the journal, you can keep track of:
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Life coach Mitzi Bockmann goes counter-intuitive to suggest that the people who live the happiest lives make a habit of sleeping alone a few nights a week. As a couple, sleeping together is lovely, but sleep is of higher quality when alone in a bed, and also one gets to do their bedtime routine in a leisurely way.
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People who live the happiest lives tend to end their days with intention, not autopilot, observes Dr. Rachel Needle. One powerful habit I see is unplugging from external noise like emails, social media, all the constant stimulation, and turning inward instead. That might look like reading something uplifting, setting intentions for the next day, or sitting in silence with a cup of tea.
This kind of presence helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and reinforce a sense of agency. Happiness often lives in the quiet, consistent moments we create for ourselves.
People who live the happiest lives have intentional wind-down time — not just scrolling or zoning out, but a conscious ritual to transition from the demands of the day to a state of rest. That might be journaling, gentle movement like stretching, meaningful conversation with a loved one, or simply reflecting on one or two things they’re grateful for.
These small acts signal safety to the nervous system, reinforce a sense of purpose, and help people feel more grounded. Happiness isn’t just about the highs; it’s about having regular practices to support emotional balance and connection.
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Dr. Gloria Brame recommends a simple 5-minute gratitude practice before bed, which can transform your evening and your life. Research from the Journal of Health Psychology has shown that gratitude practice improves sleep, mood, and even longevity. A person’s overall mood changes for the better by spending a few minutes every day counting their blessings.
People can get even more benefits by keeping a gratitude journal. Journal all the things in life you are grateful for, along with small but meaningful memories, like eating a great meal or precious moments with loved ones. Keep it and read it whenever you get anxious or depressed.
This practice can help you become more upbeat and optimistic in general, allowing you to live your best life, even in the face of new health challenges. It’s incredibly easy to do and so good for the soul, serving as a mood elevator.
Will Curtis is YourTango’s expert editor. Will has over 14 years of experience as an editor covering relationships, spirituality, and human interest topics.
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