Enjoyable Things to Do When Bored at Night at Home

No matter how busy and active your life is, there will be some evenings when you're just relaxing at home. This can be enjoyable from time to time, the chance to relax and unwind, undisturbed.

However, it's easy for the balance to tip and for boredom to strike. If you're looking around for something to do, the time can really drag. The good news is that there are many things to do when bored at home at night!

What to Do When Bored at Night

Once you've eaten your dinner and you're waiting for bedtime to roll around, there's a chunk of time to be filled. This can be difficult to fill, especially if you're on your own. If you've got a little while before you go to sleep, there's a wide range of things to do when bored at night. This list is ideal for earlier in the evening, not when you're about to get some shuteye.

  • Organize your wardrobe. Be honest - when did you last clear out your wardrobe? Use the time to go through your clothes and those you no longer wear, either bin or give them away to charity. Once you get started, you might be surprised at how cathartic you find the process.

  • Have a themed movie night. This is one of those things to do when you're bored with friends at night. They can come over and hang out, or you could host a virtual movie night where you all stay in your own rooms but hook up online. Pick a theme for the night and watch back-to-back movies - and maybe even organize some themed snacks!

  • Enjoy a home spa. Finding time to carry out all the planned beauty treatments can be difficult, so if you're looking for late-night activities at home, it's the ideal time. Really treat yourself - maybe with a glass of bubbly too! - and go to town on all those home spa treatments you normally skimp on.

  • Sing to a home karaoke. If you love a good singsong, but you're too shy to sing in public, now's your chance to belt out your favorite tracks. Obviously, this is a no-go if you're trying to be quiet, but if noise isn't an issue, switch your karaoke machine on and sing without fear of judgment!

  • Practice your makeup. With new trends hitting social media constantly, it's difficult to keep up with the latest makeup looks. Getting a flawless cut-crease or smoky eye takes practice and what better time to try out new shades and techniques than when you're having a quiet night at home?

  • Sort out your photos. With cameras on our smartphones, we take more photos than ever before yet rarely get round to printing them out or even sorting them into albums. It's a time-consuming task, so set aside a couple of hours to ruthlessly clear through them, only keeping the ones that make you smile.

  • Get creative. There is a whole world of arts and crafts you can enjoy at home, some of which require more equipment and prep than others. From clay modeling to knitting, sewing, and sketching, having peace and quiet will allow you to access your more creative thoughts.

  • Play games with friends online. There's no need to feel lonely if you're home alone, as technology allows you to hook up with friends online whenever you want. Rather than just chatting, you could opt to play a game online, an engrossing way to pass the hours.

  • Build a blanket fort. There's nothing wrong in regressing to childhood from time to time, and there's nothing more retro than building a blanket fort. Once it's built, get the cushions out, pile them up inside and get comfy for the night.

  • Take an online personality test. Having insight into your personality and why you react in a certain way can be useful on a professional and personal level. There are lots of free personality tests online; the most useful can take a while to complete. This is one of those things to do at night at home, which you wouldn't otherwise bother with.

  • Register on a dating site. If you're single, there's never been a better time to get yourself back out on the dating scene. Being home alone gives you a great chance to chat to others online or answer a deluge of messages you're bound to receive if you sign up to a dating site.

  • Plan a holiday. Allow yourself to dream by planning a holiday for the future. It can either be one that you want to take later in the year or a fantasy trip that's not within your reach. Looking at photos of far-flung locations can take you out of the doldrums instantly.

  • Clear out your cosmetics. If you're trying out one of the above suggestions and giving yourself a makeover, you'll probably realize that your cosmetics need a revamp. Bin anything that's not useable or you no longer use, clean your brushes and reorganize what you have into a clear order (and then buy some more).

  • Learn a new language. With online language teachers available for free, there's no excuse not to learn a new language. Rather than sticking to the Spanish or French you started at school, why not challenge yourself to try something completely different?

Interesting Activities to Help Relax You Before Sleep

Late-night activities at home need to be quiet so that they don't disturb others in your household or your neighbors. This can rule out some of the activities you might enjoy at other times, such as switching on a workout video and burning off excess energy.

This doesn't mean you just have to lie on your bed silently. There are many different things to do either quietly in your room or while resting in bed. If you want to know what to do when you're bored at night and have to be quiet, this list might help:

  • Take a bubble bath. There's something undeniably indulgent about a deep, candlelit bubble bath that can make it feel like a real treat. Get it to the perfect temperature and take your time in the bubbles - it will feel as if you're enjoying something truly decadent.

  • Quiet card games. A rowdy game of snap isn't ideal for when you need to be quiet, but there are many other card games that would suit. Solitaire is perfect for solo entertainment when noise needs to be kept to a minimum.

  • Do a jigsaw puzzle. This has the perfect balance of tiring the eyes and the mind simultaneously without increasing the heart rate. We don't recommend you do this in bed, though - losing a piece of your puzzle definitely won't help you get a restful night's sleep!

  • Relaxing reading. Picking the right book is important because if it's a heart-thumping thriller, you'll get your adrenaline pumping, and you'll feel more awake than ever before. Choose a book that's enjoyable enough that you'll want to read it but not so absorbing that you can't stop reading and go to sleep. Where possible, it's also a good idea to read a physical book rather than an electronic device.

  • Music. Chilled-out music can help you to relax and unwind, but it's best to listen to it through headphones if you're trying to keep the noise down. Steer clear of music that is loud, upbeat, or fast as that could be detrimental to sleep. Classical music is highly recommended, but if that's not for you, there are plenty of alternatives available in the Chill section on Spotify.

  • Podcasts. If you're too fidgety for just music, a podcast might give you enough food for thought. Spoken word entertainment, such as podcasts or audio-books, can be very relaxing, as well as an excellent way to pass the time. Snuggle up in bed so that your body is resting, slip your AirPods in and prepare to listen till you're ready to snooze.

  • Gentle stretches. Exercise doesn't need to be vigorous, and sometimes the best way of getting the muscles to relax is allowing them to stretch first. You can either stand or lie on your bed to stretch each muscle in turn before consciously relaxing them.

  • Meditation or prayer. Studies have repeatedly shown that regular periods of quiet contemplation can help physical health and mental wellbeing. This can be hard to fit in during a busy day, so using some time before bed to pray or meditate is perfect.

  • Sleep-inducing snack. There's nothing worse than trying to sleep when your stomach is rumbling for food. Although eating heavily right before bed is generally not advised, nothing stops you from enjoying a snack. Herbal tea or warm milk are good choices, as well as food that contains high levels of tryptophan or melatonin, such as turkey, cherries, and nuts.

  • Write a to-do list. It can be difficult to get to sleep if you know you've got lots to do the next day. Rather than take those stresses to bed with you, write a comprehensive to-do list before your climb under the duvet. Subconsciously this will allow you to "let go" of those worries and relax properly to get good-quality sleep.

  • Sewing. Sewing is a very soothing activity as it doesn't overstimulate the brain and is made up of relaxing, repetitive actions. Whether you're mending clothes or creating beautiful embroidery, it's an excellent activity for quiet things to do when bored.

  • Stargazing. Stargazing is one of the most incredible things to do when bored at home alone at night. If you can move your bed so that you can see the sky directly, that's ideal. Alternatively, set up a chair close to the window. The night sky is constantly changing, and if you're not an astronomy buff, there are plenty of experts you can follow on social media to educate you about what you're looking at. However, even without knowing the constellations, the mere sight of the stars is captivating!

Whether you're looking to burn off some energy or for quiet things to do when bored, there is a surprising number of activities to choose from, as you can see! Try the selection of our best suggestions today, and have an incredibly satisfying time on your own.

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