TOgoodbye “good nights” at the disco, goodbye brioche at dawn and goodbye also to parents outside the discos waiting for their children and their friends. Gen Z embraces the Early Night trend or going to bed early. A change of habit which also becomes socio-cultural and which does not only involve them but parents and friendship dynamics.
Early Night, because young people go to bed early
Has the era of the “high” finally passed? Apparently yes, especially judging by the trend called Early Night and which involves Generation Z. According to the trend analysis, the new generations they prefer the comfort of home and going to bed early rather than going out with friends to the disco.
To understand this phenomenon, two factors must be considered. The first is the pandemic, which for the younger ones was a real moment of transition, especially in managing their daily lives but also in reducing the desire to escape and in choosing to spend more free time at home. The pandemic has in fact marked a change in the relationship with free time: if previously kids spent it outdoors and with friends, Covid has forced them to spend it indoors, often alone and away from everyone. And in this context young people have adapted, often giving more space to technology and social media than real life.
The second aspect which led to the birth of the Early Night trend characterizes this generation more than previous ones is that of mental health. A topic that is certainly much more debated today than in the past and which has found very fertile ground in the new generations. And, specifically, nighttime well-being is starting to become fundamental.
Gen Z and the -controversial- relationship with sleep
The younger ones then have a very particular relationship with sleep. In fact, if on the one hand they recognize the benefits of the canonical 8 hours of rest, they love naps and on social media it is the sleepmaxxing trend continues to rack up millions of likes and collect tips on how to sleep better, on the other hand some studies have shown that sleeping is not so obvious for younger people. For example, research conducted last year by Sereni, in collaboration with Dalfilo, a startup specializing in home linens, revealed that 46.4% of Italians always check social notifications immediately upon waking up while 43.1% do so just before going to bed. This hyperconnection then causes changes in melatonin production, leading to imbalances in sleep.
At the same time however, according to what reported by Dorelan, Gen Z loves taking naps, in fact they consider it a right. If previous generations found it a waste of time or at least suitable for children, for today’s young people it is an essential moment for mental and physical energy but also a way to combat an overly intrusive approach from work. Again, according to an analysis of‘American Time Use Survey conducted by RentCafe, in 2022, 20-year-olds slept on average 9 hours and 28 minutes, with an increase of 8% compared to 2010 data. In support, the data from Sleep Number reveal that 18-34 year olds go to bed at 10.06pm on average, with younger people tending to sleep even earlier. In this panorama, what loses out is sociality and all those places where you can meet up, such as discos.
Young people go out less in the evening. But is it really okay like this?
This is how we discover that on average young people prefer sofas and TV series to the lights of stroboscopic spheres, and that their need for escape and friendships and romantic relationships is experienced online rather than in reality. So everything is fine? Not exactly. Why if no longer going out in the evening can be a relief for parents from some points of view, but on the other hand it is the symptom of a deeper problem.
As experts point out the no longer going out in the evening with friends not only highlights a change in habits but also a sort of escape from reality behind which there are various reasons. The first is certainly the economic aspect: many young people struggle to find work and the lack of economic independence can lead to a drastic reduction in leisure opportunities, up to total renunciation. No longer going out in the evening also has consequences on interpersonal relationships, such as lack of familiarity with being with others and managing relationships with other peoplewhether friendly or loving. Not only that but the lack of experiences and “firsts” typical of adolescence and youth are also leading to an increase in anxietyfrustration and concern among young people. With other consequences.