Having set routines can make behaviors <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31122343/" target="_self">feel almost automatic</a>. For this reason, a nighttime routine can reduce the impulse to stay up later instead of going to bed. Examples of positive sleep habits include:<ul><li>Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, including on non-working days</li><li>Avoiding alcohol or caffeine late in the afternoon or evening</li><li>Stopping the use of electronic devices, including cell phones and tablets, for at least half-an-hour, and ideally longer, before bed</li><li>Developing a stable routine to use every night to prepare for bed.</li></ul>

How To Prevent Sleep Procrastination?


One explanation for this gap is a failure in self-regulation or self-control. Our capacity for self-control is already <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29662459/" target="_self">at its lowest</a> at the end of the day, which may facilitate sleep procrastination.&nbsp;Sleep procrastination may result from people who have an evening chronotype who are forced to try to adapt to schedules designed for “early birds.” In revenge, sacrificing sleep for leisure time may also be seen not as a failure of self-control but rather an attempt to find recovery time in response to stress.&nbsp;

What Is the Psychology Behind Bedtime Procrastination?

Insufficient sleep degrades <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/lack-of-sleep-and-cognitive-impairment" target="_self">thinking, memory, and decision-making</a>. Sleep deprivation also raises the risk of daytime sleepiness, which can harm productivity and academic achievement while heightening the risks of drowsy driving.A lack of sleep is tied to irritability and other difficulties regulating emotions.Sleep deprivation <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health" target="_self">worsens physical health</a>, making people more susceptible to cardiovascular problems and metabolic disorders, like diabetes. In addition, and especially concerning in light of COVID-19, insufficient sleep can erode immune function and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30867162/" target="_self">reduce the effectiveness of vaccines</a>.

What Are the Consequences of Bedtime Procrastination?

Three factors are required for a late sleep time to be considered <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32823762/" target="_self">bedtime procrastination1</a>:<ul><li>A delay in going to sleep that reduces one’s total sleep time</li><li>The absence of a valid reason for staying up later than intended, such as an external event or an underlying illness</li><li>An awareness that delaying one’s bedtime could lead to negative consequences.&nbsp;</li></ul>

What Behaviors Are Associated With Bedtime Procrastination?

One study found that <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31619947" target="_self">students and women</a> were most likely to engage in bedtime procrastination. People with an evening chronotype are inclined to stay up later, which may manifest as bedtime procrastination.&nbsp;Sleep procrastination also appears to be more frequent in people who procrastinate in other aspects of their life.For many people, sleep procrastination may be a response to extended work hours that, if combined with a full night’s sleep, leave virtually no time for entertainment or relaxation.

Who Is Most Affected by Bedtime Procrastination?

“Revenge bedtime procrastination” describes the decision to sacrifice sleep for leisure time that is driven by a daily schedule lacking in free time.For people in high-stress jobs that take up the bulk of their day, revenge bedtime procrastination is a way to find a few hours of entertainment even though it results in insufficient sleep.Although revenge bedtime procrastination can be tempting in the moment, late nights followed by early mornings can directly lead to serious sleep deprivation.&nbsp;

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

Revenge bedtime procrastination is staying up late even when you know you need sleep. Our guide covers why sleep procrastination happens and how to address it.