How to handle loneliness at night while living alone is something many people struggle with, especially solo dwellers and expats like me. Living alone can be an empowering experience, but nighttime often brings unexpected emotional challenges.
Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone starting over in a new country, these quiet hours can feel overwhelming. In this post, I’ll share gentle, practical strategies that help me cope with evening solitude and bring more peace to solo living.
1. Create a Comforting Evening Routine 🌙
Having a consistent night routine gives your mind a sense of safety and structure. When you’re living alone, these rituals can become small anchors of peace.
Here are a few ideas to create a cozy nighttime ritual:
- Light a candle or dim the lights to shift into rest mode.
- Brew a cup of herbal tea like chamomile or peppermint.
- Journal or write one line about your day.
- Do light stretches, breathwork, or a few minutes of yoga.
Tip: If silence feels overwhelming, try nature sounds or ASMR playlists in the background.
2. Reduce Mindless Screen Time 📵
Let’s be honest, scrolling endlessly before bed can intensify feelings of isolation. It stimulates your brain, compares your life to others’, and often leaves you feeling more alone.
Try instead:
- Watching something calming or nostalgic (comfort shows are valid!).
- Listening to podcasts or audiobooks that feel like companionship.
- Setting a screen curfew 30–60 minutes before sleep.
What helps me: I listen to a lo-fi playlist while doing a quick tidy-up—it helps me transition peacefully into night.
3. Connect Before You Disconnect 🤳
Just because you’re living alone doesn’t mean you have to go through the evening in isolation.
- Voice note or call someone you trust before bedtime.
- Set up a recurring “night check-in” with a friend or family member.
- Join online communities for solo dwellers, expats, or hobby groups.
Even a short interaction can ease your mind and shift your emotional state.
4. Externalize Your Thoughts ✍️
Our minds get loud at night. Writing things down can bring clarity and calm.
Try:
- Journaling about your emotions or thoughts before bed.
- Writing letters to your future self or someone you miss (no need to send them).
- Using a voice recorder if writing feels too slow or formal.
Prompt idea: “What made me feel grounded or grateful today?”
5. Anchor Yourself in Your Senses 🌿
When emotions start to spiral, sensory grounding techniques can help reconnect you with the present.
Examples:
- Rub a drop of lavender oil on your wrists. This lavender & chamomile roller ball from Tisserand is wonderful!
- Wrap yourself in a soft blanket or put on cozy socks.
- Do the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
- Sit quietly with your feet on the floor or walk barefoot indoors.
6. Reframe Nighttime as Sacred Time 🌌
Instead of seeing night as a “lonely gap,” try viewing it as a time to reconnect with yourself—a sacred pause.
Ways to shift your mindset:
- Practice self-compassion: you are doing something brave by living alone.
- Use affirmations like: “I am safe in my own presence.”
- Explore creative hobbies or spiritual practices that feel nourishing.
What I remind myself: “This silence is where I return to me.”
Final Thoughts 💭
How to handle loneliness at night while living alone is a question many of us ask quietly. It’s not a weakness, it’s a human experience.
Whether you’re an expat far from home or someone choosing the solo path, you’re not alone in feeling this way. With small, intentional shifts, your nights can become a space of calm, connection, and healing.
💬 And remember: Solitude is not the absence of connection, but the presence of self.
What About You?
What helps you feel more grounded at night when you’re alone?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments or chat with you over on Instagram 💌