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10 Signs You're an Opacarophile (Lover of Sunsets)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jason Lock | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Forget being a thalassophile—lover of all things related to the sea or ocean—where has the opacarophile crew been hiding?

Do you find yourself seeking perfect sunset spot? It may be because you're an opacarophile: a lover of sunsets, someone who finds solace and peace in the transition from day to night.

Origin of the Word

The word comes from a mix of Latin and Greek. Opacare comes from the Latin, meaning "sunset," and phile comes from the Greek, meaning "a fondness for" or "lover of." Much like the word thalassophile, it is not a scientific concept. Rather, it is an informal term for anyone who makes a beeline for their favorite sunset spot, or who tries to incorporate the sunset into their daily routine.

Is Watching the Sunset Good for You?

Despite the term not being a scientific one, there happens to be a lot of scientific evidence to support the idea that watching the sunset can be beneficial to your health.

Lowers stress: Taking time out of your busy schedule to pause and watch the sun go down helps lower stress hormones, like cortisol. This is generally true anytime you spend time appreciating nature.
Regulates circadian rhythms: Sunsets also provide natural time cues that can help to regulate your body clock and improve sleep quality.
Promotes happiness: The natural beauty and vibrant colors of a sunset trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that promotes happiness and a sense of well-being.
Promotes mindfulness: Watching the sunset can help with mindfulness and focus, especially if you're coming from a hectic day where you feel pulled in many directions.

The "Wow" Factor of Sunsets

A recent study quantified the "wow" factor of sunsets. The paper was titled "Beyond blue-sky thinking: Diurnal patterns and ephemeral meteorological phenomena impact appraisals of beauty, awe and value in urban and natural landscapes." (Quite the mouthful.)

The research was published in 2023 in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. The study involved 2,500 participants who were shown images of both urban and natural environments. Among the natural environment images, some showed "blue sky" conditions (e.g., a sunny day), whereas others showed "ephemeral" images (e.g., a rainbow, a sudden storm, a sunset). The researchers found that participants preferred images of natural environments over urban environments, but most of that effect was actually due to a strong preference for ephemeral natural phenomena. The images that received the highest ratings of all for "beauty" and "awe" were sunrises and sunsets.

The study, which was the first of its kind, aimed to measure "awe," an incredibly difficult human reaction to quantify. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of reasons and characteristics that likely mean you're an opacarophile.

10 Signs You're an Opacarophile

1. Your daily schedule revolves around the sunset: You don't like shorter days because it means you're less likely to get to your favorite spot to watch the sun go down. You feel anxious if someone wants to make plans around dusk because it means you might not get your sunset fix.

2. You prefer surfing at sunset: Some people tend to be early morning surfers; others vastly prefer surfing at sunset. If you lean toward paddling out toward the evening, chances are you're an opacarophile. Maybe it's the feeling of the day coming to a close, or maybe it feels like a reward after a hard day's work. Whatever the reason, surfing at sunset just feels right to you.

3. Golden hour feels magical to you: The golden hour, when the sun is low in the sky and casts a golden glow over the land, is one of your favorite moments of the day. Photographers love this moment, finding that the golden light flatters and casts interesting shadows. Golden hour is a time of creative, dynamic transition, when day finally gives way to night.

4. You're a lover of light: This might seem counterintuitive, because you might think that being an opacarophile means that you welcome the nighttime. However, what it really means is that you appreciate light at its warmest, most colorful and most dramatic.

5. You appreciate the little changes: You are tuned into cycles of day and night, and you are aware of the subtly changing colors in the sky.

6. You attach meaning to sunsets: You see the sunset as the spiritual close of the day, and you feel ready to embrace the beginning of a new day.

7. You feel better after watching the sunset: When you watch a sunset, you feel lighter, like the day's worries have melted away. You may also experience a deep sense of calm as you anticipate going to see the sunset.

8. It's a multisensory experience for you: It's not just the visuals that make you feel calm. It's the sound of the world slowing down before nightfall.

9. You want to share the experience: You feel so strongly about sunsets you want to drag your friends and family along. The feeling of awe can be enhanced when we're sharing the moment with others.

10. The location is not important: It doesn't matter where you are. You could be in a city but you try to snatch a few moments to watch the sunset outside your window. Or you could be on a tropical island, watching the sun sink below the ocean's horizon. Wherever you are, seeing the sunset makes you feel grounded and connected.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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