When I was first postpartum, I absolutely dreaded the night during the sleepless nights and unpredictable days. I would sit on the kitchenette floor, hug my knees, and cry.
At the time, I didn’t know that I suffered from postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. I thought I had just experienced life with a newborn. While I can manage to spend quality days with my daughter, it seems like all my fears and worries come to the fore at night. Apparently, these are called “sunset scares” and they’re completely normal.
One TikTok mom, Cameron Oaks Rogers, took up the subject on her podcast, sharing her feelings about spending the night with her newborn.
“What I wasn’t prepared for was the sunset panic. That postpartum feeling, the deep sadness, almost like the pain and anxiety of when the sun goes down,” she explains.
“I think a lot of it has to do with time markers, like, ‘Wait, another day has passed? What did I do today? And it feels like I didn’t do anything. But it’s also like when you just have a baby. , you get scared, what’s going to happen in the night because it starts off so bad.
She went on to say that this part of postpartum life surprised her. In turn, she wants to show other moms that they’re not alone and add some helpful tips to make the horror of sunset a little less scary.
“I wasn’t prepared for that emotional window. I talked to my friend about it and he was stuck in it…[she said] Find something to do during that time that makes you happy. Go for a walk. like. I really enjoy taking a family walk after dinner. Watch a show you really enjoy and watch it during that time. Or maybe your partner or someone is helping with the kids while you take a shower or spend some time alone. Whatever it is, find something that helps you during certain transitions throughout the day, for example. Because it can be beautiful, jarring and overwhelming.
After the footage gained traction, several moms commented on the video, pointing out their own struggles with Sunday scares.
“My husband and I have a theory that this might be primitive – nighttime is a more vulnerable time for animals, so as moms, we feel biological stress when the sun goes down!” one user noted .
Another wrote: “I never heard anyone talk about this during my pregnancy and it shocked me so soon after giving birth. The horror at night was so real”
“I’m scared of the night. I worry about it all day because I know it’s coming and then feed my baby every two hours of darkness and just feel overwhelmed,” said another.
