Most working professionals struggle to make time for leisure activities. After all, how can they when the majority of their free time goes into commuting back and forth from the office, cooking, cleaning, and buying groceries for home? At the end of the day, all that is left are the hours dedicated to sleep. While some people adapt themselves to this mechanical way of life, many others fall into the trap of revenge bedtime procrastination. Read on to find out what it is, how it impacts your sleep, and ways to tackle it.
Also Read: How Maintaining A Sleep Schedule Boosts Your Heart Health: Ways To Create One
What Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?
Revenge bedtime procrastination describes the idea of delaying sleep in order to have some "me" time.
It often affects people who feel that their days are taken over by work, personal obligations, and a lack of personal time.
As per a journal article in the Oxford Academic, revenge bedtime procrastination affects up to 53.1% of young adults.
Researchers found that people who delayed their sleep also spent more time on leisure activities, socialising, and using media throughout the day, with a whopping 451% more smartphone use in the three hours before bed.
It is believed that by staying up late, people feel a sense of control. This behaviour comes at a cost, though, as sacrificing sleep leads to fatigue and impacts overall well-being.
How It Affects Sleep?
"Revenge bedtime procrastination can influence our sleeping habits," says Shivam Dixit, Counsellor, o-founder, and CEO of Counsel India.
In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, he explains that feelings of being exhausted during the day often lead to this practice of staying up later than usual as a kind of overindulgence.
According to him, it disturbs the circadian cycle, resulting in decreased sleep length and quality. Many health issues, such as increased stress, tiredness, and short-term memory loss, may eventually result from this, he adds.
Therefore, it is necessary to address underlying issues and develop appropriate sleep behaviours to combat bedtime procrastination and improve overall well-being.
Who Is More Prone To It?
Nighttime procrastination is more likely to occur in people who:
- are under a lot of stress
- have demanding jobs
- are under pressure to perform well in school
- have trouble managing their time
- have trouble drawing boundaries between their professional and personal time
- have a tendency toward perfection
- feel that they have little control over their day-to-day activities
- already suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders
Also Read: Do You Struggle To Sleep At Night? Try These Tips To Improve Your Quality of Sleep
Signs To Watch Out For?
Revenge bedtime procrastination can be identified through various behaviours. These include:
- Constantly putting off going to bed even when you're exhausted
- Doing unnecessary things like browsing social media or watching TV late at night
- Frequently skipping sleep to make more time for relaxation
- Some of the signs to watch out for include:
- Spending a lot of time engaging in exciting activities
- Irritability
- Tiredness during the day
- Trouble focusing
Bedtime procrastination can have various health implications. Besides affecting sleep, it indirectly contributes to several chronic diseases.
Experts usually recommend between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. Insufficient quality sleep can increase daytime drowsiness and, in the long run, may also lead to cognitive decline, such as memory and concentration issues, and an increased risk of obesity, hypertension, and Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs).
Preventive Measures
To avoid bedtime procrastination, Dixit recommends maintaining a regular sleep schedule and prioritising getting enough sleep each night.
He says, “Start creating a good sleep schedule to keep your body used to it to get the proper sleep. Reducing screen time before bed and creating a cosy sleeping space might improve sleep quality and utilise mindfulness practices to control your tension and worry, as these factors might cause you to sleep later.”
He further adds, “Establish limits for work and play to make sure you have enough time to relax. Utilise therapy or meditation to address the fundamental psychological reasons that contribute to procrastination. Overcoming the tendency to put off getting enough sleep is largely dependent on raising knowledge of the benefits of sleep and its effects on general health.”