What is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?
Written by: Rachael Thomas
Point of view: It’s 1:30 a.m. and you’re debating on watching one more episode of the show you’re binge watching or calling it a night to get some type of sleep before your 6 a.m. alarm goes off. There’s a term for this behavior: revenge bedtime procrastination.
OK, so what is it?
Verywell Mind defines revenge bedtime procrastination as “a phenomenon in which people put off going to bed to engage in activities that they don’t have time for during the day.” The concept “bedtime procrastination” was first coined in a 2014 study published in Frontiers in Psychology. The added word “revenge” was first used in China to describe how people who worked 12-hour days would stay up late to reclaim their time.
The pandemic has not only blurred the work/life balance but it’s also altered sleep schedules. Now, you might be staying up increasingly later to have some time to yourself. Even though you know you should be asleep instead of reading a book or scrolling through Twitter, you feel you owe these moments to yourself after a long day.
“One of the significant causes of revenge sleep procrastination is where our current working culture intersects with our personal and leisure time expectations in our p.m. bookend,” Lee Chambers, a psychologist and wellbeing consultant, told Medical News Today. Chambers also noted that younger Millennials and Generation Z-ers are more likely to engage in this behavior due to high-pressure positions involving their goals and career objectives. “The desire to gain a level of personal freedom drives a desire to stay awake beyond a time that will provide an optimal level of sleep.”
It’s likely that you know sleep deprivation affects your overall health and wellbeing but it’s still worth pointing out the facts. Adults between 18 and 64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, according to the Sleep Foundation. Adults who sleep less than seven hours a day were more likely to report chronic health conditions than those who got seven-plus hours of sleep a day, according to the CDC. Insufficient sleep can also worsen depression and anxiety disorders which, in turn, continues the cycle of poor sleep.
So, how can I stop this behavior and improve my sleep?
Happy you asked. Here are some tips.
Schedule some me-time throughout the day
In an article for The Cut, psychologist and motivational speaker Kezia Luckett suggests implementing “micro-moments” into your daily routine. These breaks only need to be around five to ten minutes and will help you return to your body, Luckett said. We suggest going for a quick walk or turning on your favorite song and having a mini dance party.
Try a white noise machine
These devices can improve your sleeping environment, as they can block out unwanted noises and produce sounds ranging from rushing waterfalls to calm breezes. Here, you’ll find tips on buying the right one for you.
Take a bath
A 2019 sleep study found that bathing one to two hours before bed can help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality. So light a candle, put on some calming music, and let the warm water do the rest.
Put the tech away
Try your best to stop using your phone, laptop, or tablet at least 30 minutes before bedtime. You need to give your brain some time to power down before catching some Zs. Ready to take it to the next level? Try putting your phone in another room and pull out that alarm clock that you’ve kept “just in case you need it.” ;-)
The bottom line…
Yes, you deserve time to decompress and do things that bring you joy — but you need your sleep too. Focus on changing how you fill your daylight hours vs. cutting into your sleep. Small changes you make throughout your day can have a big impact on your wellbeing.