diff --git a/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.test.ts b/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.test.ts
index 68945f42..2c31c49a 100644
--- a/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,20 @@
 import { renderHook, act } from "@testing-library/react"
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest"
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest"
 import { useNowTicker } from "./use-now-ticker"
 
 describe("useNowTicker", () => {
+  let originalDocumentHiddenDescriptor: PropertyDescriptor | undefined
+
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    originalDocumentHiddenDescriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(document, "hidden")
+  })
+
   afterEach(() => {
+    if (originalDocumentHiddenDescriptor) {
+      Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", originalDocumentHiddenDescriptor)
+    } else {
+      Reflect.deleteProperty(document, "hidden")
+    }
     vi.useRealTimers()
   })
 
@@ -29,10 +40,113 @@ describe("useNowTicker", () => {
     expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
 
     act(() => {
-      vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-02-03T00:00:05.000Z"))
       vi.advanceTimersByTime(5_000)
     })
 
     expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
   })
+
+  it("pauses ticks while the document is hidden", () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+    Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+      configurable: true,
+      value: true,
+    })
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNowTicker({ intervalMs: 1000 }))
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5_000)
+    })
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+
+    const visibleNow = Date.now()
+    act(() => {
+      Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: false,
+      })
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"))
+    })
+    expect(result.current).toBe(visibleNow)
+  })
+
+  it("does not refresh when disabled and the document becomes visible", () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+    Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+      configurable: true,
+      value: true,
+    })
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNowTicker({ enabled: false, intervalMs: 1000 }))
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-02-03T00:00:05.000Z"))
+    act(() => {
+      Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: false,
+      })
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"))
+    })
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+  })
+
+  it("stops an active ticker when the document becomes hidden", () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNowTicker({ intervalMs: 1000 }))
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000)
+    })
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:01.000Z"))
+
+    act(() => {
+      Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: true,
+      })
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"))
+    })
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5_000)
+    })
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:01.000Z"))
+
+    const visibleNow = Date.now()
+    act(() => {
+      Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: false,
+      })
+      document.dispatchEvent(new Event("visibilitychange"))
+    })
+    expect(result.current).toBe(visibleNow)
+  })
+
+  it("keeps ticking while hidden when pauseWhenHidden is false", () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z"))
+    Object.defineProperty(document, "hidden", {
+      configurable: true,
+      value: true,
+    })
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useNowTicker({ intervalMs: 1000, pauseWhenHidden: false })
+    )
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000)
+    })
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe(Date.parse("2026-02-03T00:00:01.000Z"))
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.ts b/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.ts
index 06b971c1..fd995bce 100644
--- a/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/use-now-ticker.ts
@@ -4,19 +4,48 @@ type UseNowTickerOptions = {
   enabled?: boolean
   intervalMs?: number
   stopAfterMs?: number | null
+  pauseWhenHidden?: boolean
   resetKey?: unknown
 }
 
+function isDocumentVisible() {
+  if (typeof document === "undefined") return true
+  return !document.hidden
+}
+
 export function useNowTicker({
   enabled = true,
   intervalMs = 1000,
   stopAfterMs = null,
+  pauseWhenHidden = true,
   resetKey,
 }: UseNowTickerOptions = {}) {
   const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now())
+  const [documentVisible, setDocumentVisible] = useState(() =>
+    pauseWhenHidden ? isDocumentVisible() : true
+  )
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!pauseWhenHidden || typeof document === "undefined") {
+      setDocumentVisible(true)
+      return undefined
+    }
+
+    const handleVisibilityChange = () => {
+      const visible = isDocumentVisible()
+      setDocumentVisible(visible)
+      if (visible && enabled) {
+        setNow(Date.now())
+      }
+    }
+
+    handleVisibilityChange()
+    document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", handleVisibilityChange)
+    return () => document.removeEventListener("visibilitychange", handleVisibilityChange)
+  }, [enabled, pauseWhenHidden])
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!enabled) return undefined
+    if (!enabled || !documentVisible) return undefined
 
     setNow(Date.now())
     const interval = window.setInterval(() => setNow(Date.now()), intervalMs)
@@ -35,7 +64,7 @@ export function useNowTicker({
       window.clearInterval(interval)
       window.clearTimeout(timeout)
     }
-  }, [enabled, intervalMs, stopAfterMs, resetKey])
+  }, [enabled, intervalMs, stopAfterMs, resetKey, documentVisible])
 
   return now
 }