Sundown Syndrome
Sundown Syndrome is a very specific type of postpartum anxiety - one that creeps up only in the later parts of the day.
People who experience this typically feel completely fine during the day, perhaps even like super parent. And then as the day gets later and grows darker, the anxiety sneaks in. More often than not, it is the birthing parent or the parent who is primarily responsible for tending to baby overnight that experiences Sundown Syndrome (SS), especially when baby is very young and wakeful throughout the night.
There can be many presentations of SS, ranging from mildly anxious thoughts or a feeling of dread, to severe where the person who is experiencing SS might struggle with suicidal ideation. The main thing to know and understand about SS is that it is very, very common in the early stages of parenthood and that it typically subsides within the first few months.
Strategies that can help include:
Sharing these feelings of isolation and challenging thoughts with the people around you whether that is your spouse, your medical care team, your parents.
Grounding practices as the evening approaches which can include being physically close to those who are supporting you. If this is not an option, then loop some friends in and call/Facetime/Zoom with them
Watch movies that you have positive associations with, that have brought you comfort. TV shows are also a great option. If visual media isn’t your thing, then music or podcasts you enjoy, or your favourite book as an audiobook so that you can listen to it even if you have your hands full
ASMR content - if you are someone who enjoys ASMR, YouTube has a plethora of them that you can watch to get through the long evenings/nights.
A Day in A Life vlogs on Youtube. Of course we all know that social media is mostly staged but there are some creators who do share some raw content and what it is like to be a parent. Watching content like this can help feel a sense of camaraderie.
