As the day comes to an end and the sun sinks below the horizon, there is a sense of the day coming to an end, which leads to many stories. As the remains of daylight begin to wane, a quiet anxiety creeps in. This is also known as sunset anxiety.
In an interview with HT, Dr Rajiv Mehta, vice president of psychiatry at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, explained this unsettling feeling that arises at the end of the day.
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Understanding Sunset Anxiety
Dr. Mehta said, “Sunset anxiety is made up of two words, anxiety and sunset, which means anxiety that occurs or increases in the evening.” He elaborated that this is largely shaped by office working hours and said, “Success is currently measured by productivity, both by society and the individual self, in terms of an individual’s wealth status and power. To achieve this one needs to work round the clock. Now we have two groups of workers – one working in the morning shift and the other working in the night shift.”
Dr. Mehta said, “Some morning professionals may feel anxious by evening (sunset) because they feel that they have not been productive enough to achieve whatever goal they have set for the day and the day is almost over.” Has gone. On the other hand, there are some workaholics who think that the rest of the day will be unproductive and who do not know how to spend the rest of their time after work and this creates anxiety in them.
He also said that night shift workers experience anxiety around sunset, as this is the time when they have to report for work. The thought of extreme traffic and office environment often creates nervousness in them. For those who stay at home, Dr. Mehta said the sunset can be worrisome because, for them, another day has passed without achieving anything exciting. Apart from this, natural light goes away with sunset. Dr. Mehta highlighted how light is linked to mood and anxiety and reduction in light is known to dampen mood and cause anxiety.
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how to cope
Dr. Rajeev Mehta emphasized that prevention lies in maintaining work-life balance. He suggested that it is important to be based on reality and understand your limitations with respect to productivity. It is equally important to accept that although work is important, it should not overpower other aspects of life, as this balance can be very helpful. It makes the day feel more complete, preventing sunset anxiety.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
