Bedtime comes too soon – especially if you’ve got a busy daytime schedule. But pushing back your bedtime can do serious damage to your health and wellbeing. It’s time to beat revenge sleep procrastination.
Resisting Bedtime? It Might Be Revenge Sleep Procrastination
Revenge sleep procrastination is essentially sacrificing precious hours of sleep for a few more moments of enjoyment at the end of the day. This is a common problem for people with a packed daytime schedule. Working long hours, taking care of household duties, caring for others – if you’ve got a full dance card, you might find yourself feeling bummed about climbing into bed at the end of the day.
There are 3 commonalities that characterize revenge sleep procrastination:
- Delaying bedtime without adjusting tomorrow’s wakeup alarm
- Not having a specific and/or valid reason to justify the delay (special events and illness-related insomnia don’t count)
- Being aware that this reduction in sleep may be detrimental to health
So then why do we do it?! Pushing off bedtime can feel like an indulgence – having a little more me-time at the end of the day to scroll social media, watch another episode, paint your fingernails, etc. In some way, it feels like revenge for not having enough free time earlier in the day – but in reality, revenge sleep procrastination is often self-sabotage.
Feeling Wrecked Tomorrow – Not Worth It!
There’s a nightly sleep target (6-8 hours) that the average adult needs to get consistently to maintain a healthy mind and body. Not only does sleep deprivation wreck the way you feel the next day (affecting memory, cognitive performance, focus, alertness), but it can also set off long-term health risks. Cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, including diabetes and stroke risk, are associated with prolonged sleep deprivation.
5 Tips to Beat Revenge Sleep Procrastination
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. These stimulants can make you feel jittery and less prepared to relax in the evening.
- Create a bedtime ritual. We are creatures of habit! Establishing a consistent routine (like cup of caffeine-free tea, 5-minute face mask, and clicking on a humidifier) can help provide cues for your body and mind that you’re about to go to sleep – seriously.
- Don’t change your bedtime/wakeup hours too much! Again, it’s all about habit. If you try to make yourself fall asleep at 9pm after sleeping in till noon the same day – that’s a nightmare! Stay consistent, whether it’s a workday or not.
- Go tech-free for 30 minutes before bed. The blue light emitted from TV, tablet and smartphone screens can signal to the brain that it’s time to stay alert. Instead, read a magazine, journal, stretch or listen to soft music for at least a half-hour before bedtime.
- Create a list of reasons to resist revenge sleep procrastination. Think of your long-term goals and write them down! Be specific to include important daytime activities that you want to be your best for, like a social brunch date, a big presentation at work, or even long-term heart health.
Yes, revenge sleep procrastination can be tempting in the moment. But it’s probably not worth it. Don’t give up – you got this!
