[Revenge] Bedtime Procrastination
What is Bedtime Procrastination?
Bedtime Procrastination is defined as putting off or delaying sleep despite having plenty of time for rest (Kroese et al., 2014; Kroese et al. 2016).
For example, Sara sets a bedtime of 10:30 pm but instead of stopping to go to sleep, she keeps telling herself “I’ll just read one more chapter.” Several chapters later she realizes she missed her planned bedtime and it is now 12:30. Essentially, she had enough time to sleep, but did other things instead of sleeping. There was no overnight shift keeping her awake or loud neighbors keeping her up. It was just too hard to switch gears and stop reading in order to start sleeping.
Some people (like college students) or people with flexible schedules can compensate for this by shifting their schedule and sleeping in late but for many people, work starts in the morning at the same time no matter how late you went to bed.
Why does bedtime procrastination happen?
There are many reasons why bedtime procrastination may occur. None of them are about being “lazy” or foolish. Here are some reasons why someone might put off sleep:
Wanting to avoid sleep until you are totally exhausted so it is easier to fall asleep
Avoiding stress related to sleep difficulties. “I hate that feeling of lying in bed tossing and turning.”
Losing track of time or time blindness
Late routine (if you’re eating late or working late it makes it harder to wind down for bedtime) - This is different from working so late it overlaps with your sleep time.
What about Revenge Bedtime Procrastination? Is that a thing?
Yes, putting off sleep on purpose to have more time to yourself (also known as revenge bedtime procrastination) is a known phenomena studied by researchers (Nautis Et al., 2019). This often happens when we have little control during the day so it is tempting to regain freedom during bedtime hours.
This cartoon shows someone who loves playing video games but has no time in their schedule for it. They replace sleep with video games to fit it in. Humans need more than water and gruel. We have a legitimate need for enjoyment throughout the day. If there’s no time for it during daylight hours, we will be inclined to replace sleep with enjoyable activities.
What can look like Bedtime Procrastination but might be something else?
Delayed Sleep Phase: If you are interested in sleep, you may have heard of chronotype. Most everyone is aware that some people are early birds and others are night owls. For someone who has a natural inclination to sleep later, going to bed early is tricky because your body just isn’t ready for sleep yet. Late at night can be a time of peak performance for someone with a naturally delayed schedule which makes it doubly difficult.
Shift Work: Even if you’re not naturally a night owl, working later can train your brain to be awake at night.
Insomnia: Sometimes, we avoid going to sleep because of that dreadful tossing and turning. It isn’t always an intentional choice. Of course we want to avoid being uncomfortable so we put off sleep and this can become part of insomnia.
What can I do about my bedtime procrastination?
This depends on what is causing it in the first place. Talking through this with a therapist can help you identify the core issue and develop a plan to break the cycle. This isn’t about getting “more disciplined.” It is about using strategies to build a life and schedule that work for you using a combination of sleep science and psychology.
If you’re looking for help addressing sleep issues and getting to the root of the problem, feel free to reach out for a free consultation.
You can also learn more about the work I do on the about page.
I’m wishing you well and restful nights,
Kasryn Kapp, LPC
Referenced Articles:
Kroese FM, Evers C, Adriaanse MA, de Ridder DTD. Bedtime procrastination: A self-regulation perspective on sleep insufficiency in the general population. J Health Psychol. 2016 May;21(5):853-62. doi: 10.1177/1359105314540014. Epub 2014 Jul 4. PMID: 24997168.
Nauts S, Kamphorst BA, Stut W, De Ridder DTD, Anderson JH. The Explanations People Give for Going to Bed Late: A Qualitative Study of the Varieties of Bedtime Procrastination. Behav Sleep Med. 2019 Nov-Dec;17(6):753-762. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2018.1491850. Epub 2018 Jul 30. PMID: 30058844.