Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: How to Fix Your Sleep

Revenge bedtime procrastination is when you delay sleep to engage in leisure activities that aren’t available to you during the day due to a lack of free time. Coined by journalist Daphne K. Lee, the behavior stems from a desire to regain control of your freedom in late-night hours, leading to sleep deprivation and other negative consequences.

If you stay up late every once in a while, it doesn’t necessarily mean you suffer from revenge sleep procrastination, especially if you’re still getting a healthy amount of sleep. Revenge bedtime procrastination possesses several key features that separate it from other sleep problems. Those features include:

1. 1. You are aware of the consequences. You know that going to bed late to indulge in activities such as scrolling through electronic devices will lead to a lack of sleep and diminished sleep quality, but you do it anyway.
2. 2. You have ruled out other conditions. You have no external reason for staying up later than you want, such as illness, sleep disorders, noise, or anxiety about having to get up early the next day for work or another event.
3. 3. You sleep less. The postponement of sleep leads to a reduction in your total hours of sleep. How much sleep do you need? At least seven hours for adults.

Researchers believe there are several causes of revenge bedtime procrastination, including:

1. 1. Daytime stress: A lack of time for self-care and pleasure during the day due to working long hours, going to school, or taking care of other obligations creates stress and frustration. Researchers believe this stress affects your mental health and contributes to bad sleep habits. Try these stress management tips from Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
2. 2. Lack of self-regulation: According to a 2014 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, there’s a connection between sleep procrastination and poor self-control. You may want to get better sleep, but at the end of the day, your decision-making around bedtime doesn’t match this desire.
3. 3. Natural sleep patterns: If you’re a night owl, you may naturally stay up late. You’re still able to get a good night’s sleep if you’re allowed to sleep in later but may find getting up early a struggle. According to sleep expert Matthew Walker, whether you’re a night owl or a morning lark could come down to genetics.
4. 4. Procrastination in general: If you procrastinate in other areas of your life beyond your sleep schedule, you may naturally procrastinate when it comes to sleep. Learn how to stop procrastinating.

As a result of going to bed late and waking up early, revenge bedtime procrastination leads to its most destructive aspect: sleep deprivation. The adverse effects of a lack of sleep on your mental and physical health include:

1. 1. Cognitive impairment: When you don’t get enough sleep, it affects your cognitive ability during waking hours. Poor sleep hygiene affects your memory and slows your thinking, making it harder to concentrate, make decisions, or be productive.
2. 2. Mental health issues: Sleep loss can contribute to mental health problems such as increased anxiety, depression, and irritability. It also leads to poor impulse and emotional control, which worsens the more you practice the behavior.
3. 3. Physical problems: Over time, sleep deprivation contributes to physical issues such as weight gain, high blood pressure, weakened immune system, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic pain.

Though it may feel challenging at first, you can improve your bedtime habits by following these steps:

1. 1. Avoid big meals or snacking before bed. Too much food before you sleep keeps you awake and agitated.
2. 2. Create a pleasing sleep environment. Dim lights, cool temperatures, a quiet room, and comfortable bedding make sleep more inviting. Avoid working or watching TV in your bedroom, so your body and mind associate the space with sleep.
3. 3. Take short, strategic naps to repair your sleep deficit. Naps may not fix revenge bedtime procrastination entirely, but they can help you feel better when you don’t get enough sleep. Read neuroscientist Matthew Walker’s defense of napping to learn more.
4. 4. Reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake. Both caffeine and alcohol can affect your ability to fall and stay soundly asleep. Avoid or reduce your intake—especially in the late afternoon and evening.
5. 5. Schedule leisure time for yourself during the day. A lack of self-care and pleasurable activities during the day fuels bedtime procrastination. Take a little time daily to focus on your well-being by engaging in activities you enjoy.
6. 6. Set and follow a sleep routine. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, even when you don’t have to work. Include pre-bed relaxation techniques, such as reading a book or meditating, to help relieve lingering stress from your day.
7. 7. Turn off your phone and other digital devices. Allow yourself a break from all digital input for at least thirty minutes before sleep.

Saw some of the best darn logs of your life with a MasterClass Annual Membership and exclusive instructional videos from Dr. Matthew Walker, the author of Why We Sleep and the founder-director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Between Matthew’s tips for optimal snoozing and info on discovering your body’s ideal rhythms, you’ll be sleeping more deeply in no time.