How to Sleep well and Stop Revenge Bedtime Procrastinating
What is “Revenge Bedtime Procrastination”?
Do you spend a long time in bed before actually sleeping? Perhaps you’re catching up on the news, checking the 200 over notifications on your family friends group or maybe you’re watching your favorite TV series on NETFLIX because you had a long day and you deserve time to yourself. Yes, “me-time”s are sacred and essential. Yet, if you’re engaging in revenge sleep procrastination, there is greater harm to your overall health.
Revenge bedtime procrastination is the phenomenon in which people push back sleep time while engaging in activities they don’t have time for during the day. It’s a way of finding time for leisure and entertainment—at the expense of sleep.
Who is likely to procrastinate sleeping?
While we all have some levels of procrastination when it comes to working, here are 4 indicators that may signal you’re at a higher risk of delaying sleep.
Individuals with high stress, long working hours, who have less time to themselves during the day. For example: care givers, full time parents, teachers, employees constantly working overtime.
Individuals with an evening chronotype - the preference to sleep later than others.
Individuals who often procrastinate in other aspects of their life.
Females were found to have twice the chance of bedtime procrastinating than males (according to this study done in Polish)
Individuals of late Millennials and Gen Z’s with high aspiring career goals
Revenge sleep procrastination appears to be tied to significant daytime stress. The behavior to sleep procrastinate can be an attempt to cope with the stress of extended work hours, for when combined with a full night rest leaves insufficient time for deepening bonds of important relationships, entertainment or self-care.
How to know if I am Bedtime Procrastinating?
You are delaying your sleep time which results in decrease total sleep time
You find there is no valid reason for staying up later than you intended to but you stay up anyway, not wanting the next day’s arrival
You are aware that delaying bedtime can lead to negative consequences (health, productivity levels and performance) but the desire to procrastinate feels greater than the need to sleep
How revenge sleep procrastination affects you
“Well, what if I’m sacrificing sleep to practice self care, like meditating, is that ok?” — unfortunately the answer is no. Staying up late and waking up early on a long term basis, regardless of the reason, can lead to sleep deprivation bringing negative long term effects on your overall health and well-being.
Negative effects of sleep deprivation caused by revenge bedtime procrastination can include but are not limited to the following:
Anxiety
Depression
Difficulty concentrating
High blood pressure
Increased risk of cardiac problems
Weakened immunity
Weight gain
Worse memory
Breaking the Habit of Revenge Sleep Procrastination
Having healthy sleep hygiene can start with you incorporating good sleep habits and creating an environment that is conducive to sleep. Creating a nighttime routine for yourself and sticking to the new habits day after day can set a new pattern in your mind and body hence reducing the urge to stay up late and encourage you to go to bed early.
Here are 6 strategies to claim back your sleep and improve your overall well being:
Prioritize yourself – Plan satisfying activities during the day and stick to a schedule that prioritizes them. We readily give away too much of our energy to others throughout the day. Know it’s ok and important to put yourself first so you don’t feel burnt out, overstretched or tireless at night.
Follow a bedtime routine – Go to bed and wake up at around the same time, even on weekends. Setting an alarm, writing in a journal, doing breathwork and mindfulness activities helps you break the cycle of the old sleep procrastinating routine.
Avoid screens at least an hour before bed – Bright blue light exposure from electronic devices is similar to sunlight exposure, and it interferes with sleep.
Setting boundaries around your home and work life – avoid working from bed as this creates an association within your mind that your bedroom is the time your brain has to get thinking, leading to an active mind even as you’re preparing to sleep.
Quiet your mind – If your mind is buzzing with thoughts and worries, do a “braindump” – take a piece of rough paper and empty your thoughts whether they are significant or bugging thoughts, list them all down. Research shows that expressive writing can help improve sleep and reduce stress.
Encourage yourself – start small, give yourself the gift of self-praise, allow yourself to take breaks and set realistic humane expectations. “Perfection” is not allowed. Notice your efforts and come back to your practices whenever noticing yourself slipping back to old habits. As you work towards positive change in your life, well-being, health and vitality comes closer to you.
All behaviors are motivated by our emotions, and our emotions are driven by our thoughts. Telling yourself “I have control over my time” encourages you to reassess the way you spend your time each day. This creates a new momentum towards overcoming bedtime procrastination.
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Research:
Herzog-Krzywoszanska, R., & Krzywoszanski, L. (2019). Bedtime Procrastination, Sleep-Related Behaviors, and Demographic Factors in an Online Survey on a Polish Sample. Front. Neurosci. 13:963. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00963
Arigo, D., & Smyth, J. M. (2012). The benefits of expressive writing on sleep difficulty and appearance concerns for college women. Psychology & health, 27(2), 210–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2011.558196
