Dusking: The New Wellness Trend of Watching Dusk to Unwind After Work
As daylight fades and the sky darkens, most people retreat indoors, switching on lights and missing the subtle transition of dusk. However, a small but expanding movement advocates for the opposite approach: stepping outside to observe the slow shift from day to night. This practice, known as "dusking," involves watching the light diminish, noting the sky's changing hues, listening to emerging evening sounds, and embracing the quiet rhythms that signal the day's end.
The Cultural and Historical Roots of Dusking
Dusking is deeply rooted in historical traditions across diverse regions, from the Netherlands to parts of Africa. Recently revived by figures like artist Lucy Wright and Dutch poet Marjolijn van Heemstra, the practice has gained modern relevance. Wright incorporates it into a style of Morris dance that encourages participants "to dance the old sun down," highlighting the moment daylight fades.
Van Heemstra describes dusking as simply taking time to watch the sunset and the gradual fading of light, reconnecting with natural rhythms in a digitally saturated world. She believes that pausing to observe the sky can restore awareness of our surroundings and now organizes regular dusking events in the Netherlands. "All you need is a chair and a view," she emphasizes.
Across cultures, dusk represents a boundary marking the shift from activity to rest, work to home, and light to darkness—a time when social rhythms change. These transitional moments often invite reflection on the environment and our place within it.
The Science Behind Dusking and Wellbeing
The concept of dusking aligns with scientific studies indicating that brief focus on natural surroundings can enhance wellbeing and relaxation. Observing changes in light, sound, and atmosphere may facilitate a shift from the day's constant hustle to winding down, potentially aiding sleep preparation.
In research conducted in the North York Moors National Park, participants reported heightened awareness of natural smells and sounds during twilight walks. They noted transitions from daytime birdsong, with robins being the last to tweet, to nighttime animal sounds like owl hoots, often leading to quiet reflection.
Dusk in the Natural World and Human Experience
Dusk is a critical point in the daily rhythm of nature, with many species becoming active during this transitional period. Bats leave roosts to hunt, moths and nocturnal insects take flight, and mammals such as deer, foxes, and hedgehogs emerge to forage. Biologists frequently study dawn and dusk due to notable shifts in animal behavior at these times.
Historically, dusk has been associated with uncertainty and imagination, linked to folklore, ghost stories, and childhood fears of the dark—moments when familiar landscapes become slightly unfamiliar. Yet, in the last century, opportunities to experience true darkness have dwindled due to artificial light pollution. Only 10% of people in the Western Hemisphere now experience dark skies with minimal artificial light, and visibility of the Milky Way is increasingly rare.
Previous generations were more adept at navigating in low light, using their senses to traverse landscapes after sunset. Today, this sensory knowledge is fading in our artificially illuminated world. Artificial lighting often masks subtle environmental cues that once dictated daily rhythms, but noticing dusk, even briefly, can bring those rhythms back into focus.
As the sky darkens, the air cools, birds alter their calls, and the world quietly moves toward night. To quote 18th-century poet Thomas Gray: "Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight. And all the air a solemn stillness holds." While watching the sunset is not a new idea, as Gray's poem shows, it is one we may have forgotten to value, potentially to our detriment in an era of constant digital stimulation.
About the authors: Jenny Hall is an Associate Professor in Tourism and Events at York St John University. Brendan Paddison is a Professor of Tourism Geographies at York St John University. This article is adapted from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
