{"id":5020,"date":"2021-04-29T11:36:26","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T11:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/?p=5020"},"modified":"2024-02-13T15:05:31","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T15:05:31","slug":"revenge-bedtime-procrastination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/blog\/revenge-bedtime-procrastination\/","title":{"rendered":"Revenge Bedtime Procrastination"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Learn<\/p>\n

Remember all the antics and excuses you used as a kid to delay your bedtime? \u201cJust 10 more minutes.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll go to bed as soon as this show is over.\u201d \u201cBut I\u2019m almost finished with this game.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it turns out, more and more of us are using the same stall tactics as adults. Now, it\u2019s a phenomenon called revenge bedtime procrastination.<\/p>\n

What Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Put simply, revenge bedtime procrastination is intentionally delaying your bedtime in favor of other things, like watching movies, scrolling social media, reading or spending time on a hobby.<\/p>\n

Why Is It Called Revenge?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

A deeper dive into this phenomenon suggests some profound emotional and psychological ties.<\/p>\n

People who purposely put off going to sleep often do so because they feel like they lack control during the day. After 12 to 14 hours or more at the mercy of a packed work schedule, a long list of household chores (we\u2019re talking to you, moms) and a calendar chock full of family commitments, they fight back for \u201cme\u201d time.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Wrong with Wanting \u201cMe\u201d Time?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Nothing. It\u2019s the timing that\u2019s the issue.<\/p>\n

A 2018 study published in Frontiers in Psychology<\/em> found people have many pursuits they want to engage in every day \u2013 most commonly eating, media consumption and leisure activities. But we often skip out on those desires because our busy schedules won\u2019t allow it.<\/p>\n

The more activities people said they missed and the more times they resisted the temptation to do them throughout their waking hours, the more they purposely put off bedtime to try to fit it all in \u2013 even when they are tired.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople use revenge bedtime procrastination to carve out some time at the end of the day when they feel in command, time to do what they wish they could have been doing during the day,\u201d says registered nurse and BSC sleep expert Terry Cralle. \u201cThat\u2019s the \u2018revenge\u2019 part of the equation. But by self-sabotaging their sleep, they\u2019re ultimately taking that revenge out on themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Common Is It?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Based on the number of recent medical research studies and increased amount of discussion on the topic, revenge bedtime procrastination appears to have become more prevalent since COVID-19<\/a> and has blurred the different parts of our days even more than usual.<\/p>\n

Is It Really That Bad?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Though scrolling social media or catching up on your favorite TV show might seem like a good way to decompress after a long day, these mindless, nonproductive pastimes actually add to your stress and anxiety and even jeopardize your health when they cut into the restorative rest your brain and body need. The blue light from all your screens disrupts your biological clock, making your body think it should stay awake; you end up ruining your productivity<\/a> the next day and perpetuating a cycle of fatigue.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: It\u2019s not something you want to become a habit.<\/p>\n

How Can You Avoid It?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to make time during the day for yourself, so you won\u2019t be so tempted to undermine your sleep at night,\u201d suggests Cralle. \u201cPrioritize your health just like you would an important meeting or appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do you think you\u2019re a revenge bedtime procrastinator? If so, there are several healthy habits you can incorporate into your everyday life, so you can still get that quality \u201cme\u201d time and reduce the urge to stay up past your bedtime:<\/p>\n