You should go to bed, but you’re not sleepy. You try to go to sleep, but you can’t stop thinking since your mind is racing. You begin to feel overburdened as you consider everything you have to do the next day. You feel more alert the more you try to sleep. You start to feel furious and upset as you recall all the things you ought to have done today. You become thrilled as you list all the things you want to accomplish the next day. You feel like you’ll never be able to go to sleep because you can’t seem to stop thinking.
Revenge bedtime procrastination is the practice of delaying, going to sleep in order to complete tasks they didn’t have time for during the day. 1 To fit in leisure and amusement, sleep must be sacrificed.
In a 2014 article, the phrase “bedtime procrastination” was coined.
In China, “revenge” was used to describe how long-worked Rebels would stay up late as their only means of regaining control over their time.
Following a widely shared tweet by journalist Daphne K. Lee, the phrase gained popularity. When “those who don’t have much control over their daily lives refuse to go to bed early to reclaim some sense of independence during late night hours,” as they put it, it might lead to this type of behaviour, according to their description.
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Symptoms
Not getting enough sleep isn’t necessarily a sign of revenge bedtime procrastination. According to researchers, sleep procrastination has three essential characteristics:
- The delay must lessen a person’s total amount of sleep each night in getting to bed.
- There is no other explanation for this delay in falling asleep, such as being sick of anything in the surroundings preventing you from falling asleep.
- People that engage in the conduct are well aware that it might have unfavourable effects, but they nonetheless decide to do it.
Depending on their circumstances and the reason they feel the urge to remain up late, this may have a varied impact on various people. Those hours after putting the kids to bed may be the only time parents of small children get to concentrate on themselves and their goals. For many with demanding work schedules, binge-watching TV episodes while curled up on the couch may be the sole opportunity for unstructured leisure.
Some folks may take advantage of these late-night and early-morning hours to complete hobbies or partake in more strenuous activities. For the most part, these activities concentrate on things that don’t require a lot of work.
People like performing simple activities like online shopping, looking through social media, reading, and watching streaming services while they are trying to avoid going to bed.
Related Reading : What is The Self Determination Theory?
Who Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Affects
Many people occasionally procrastinate on getting to bed in order to get revenge. People who often do this activity are those with stressful jobs, who work long hours, and who don’t have much alone time during the day.
It frequently begins in tiny. To play on your phone or watch your favourite shows, you could stay up late. Ten or fifteen minutes can become an hour or two. You could occasionally find yourself awake till the wee hours of the morning, doing pointless activities, before giving in and going to bed.
According to one research, women and students were more prone to put off getting ready for bed. (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.00963/full)
Causes of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination
A general lack of free time throughout the day frequently causes revenge bedtime procrastination, but there are other variables at play as well.
An investigation conducted in 2014 and reported in the journal Frontiers of Psychology found a negative correlation between revenge bedtime procrastination and self-regulation. Even if many who do this wish to sleep, their actions do not match their goals.
It’s also plausible that those who procrastinate before going to bed are more likely to do so in general.
Your regular sleeping patterns may also be involved. It could be difficult for people who are normally “night owls” to get out of bed in the morning.
Additionally, research suggests that a person’s natural sleep cycle and self-control may affect their habits.
The conduct also appears to have gotten worse recently under the stress of global repercussions, especially the worldwide pandemic of 2019. According to reports, sleep issues will likely get worse for 40% of Americans in 2020.
The ability to spend time alone became increasingly difficult for many people as the boundaries between a job, home, and school grew hazier. Many people have turned to bedtime procrastination as a means of squeezing in some important alone time during the late-night hours.
How revenge affects bedtime procrastination
On occasion staying up late won’t likely have a significant influence on your sleep cycle, health, or general well-being. The issue arises when putting off going to bed out of retaliation becomes a routine behaviour. Sleep loss can arise from early mornings and late evenings. Your capacity to operate the next day may suffer, and over time, sleep deprivation may start to negatively impact your physical and mental well-being.
The negative short- and long-term effects of sleep deprivation caused by revenge bedtime procrastination can potentially include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty paying attention
- Elevated blood pressure
- Increased chance of heart issues
- Lowered defences
- Gaining weight
- A bad memory
Poor sleep is frequently associated with physical health issues, but it’s also vital to remember that sleep is crucial for both mental and physical health. According to research, sleep issues may potentially contribute to or exacerbate a variety of mental health issues, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.
how to fix revenge bedtime procrastination
Here are some solutions if you struggle with revenge bedtime procrastination.
Putting sleep first
Making sleep a top priority is the first thing you can do if your objective is to obtain more rest. Remind yourself of the benefits of sleeping in on time. The likelihood that you will have the energy to complete the things you have to do increases if you feel better rested the following day.
Develop healthy sleeping habits
You may increase the overall quality and quantity of your sleep by establishing some good sleep habits. Here are some things to try: -Have a regular bedtime and wake-up time -Avoid alcohol and caffeine in the afternoon and evening -Establish a cosy sleeping environment
Examine your schedule
Examine your day obligations carefully because a hectic schedule is frequently the cause of vengeance night-time procrastination. Cut the time-consuming or unimportant activities from your life. If you can, try to get rid of any daily activities that are making you miserable and unfulfilled.
If you don’t feel bitter about losing those valuable hours of your day, you’re less likely to feel the desire to exact revenge for your time loss.
Schedule Time for Yourself
A hectic schedule is not an excuse for procrastination; it is the reason. If you want to stop procrastinating, look at your daily obligations and get rid of anything that is time-consuming or not important. It is also important to make time for yourself – do something that makes you happy and fulfilled. If you don’t feel bitter about losing those valuable hours of your day, you won’t feel the need to procrastinate.
Focus on finding time to indulge in some of your favourite hobbies to replace the undesirable activities you’re cutting from your calendar. This might not always be simple, especially for parents or employees who are unable to put their duties and responsibilities on hold.
Planning and prioritizing “alone time” the same way you would anything else is one strategy to deal with this. Find someone to take over while you take a break, like a friend, babysitter, spouse, or family member. You’ll need to block out that time for yourself.
Begin your evening routine earlier
Start your overnight ritual early to combat bedtime procrastination. An hour before you would typically start getting ready for bed, set an alarm. Taking time to relax after the day can make you sleepy and keep you from staying up late.
Turn Off the Electronics
Stop watching your streaming service’s Autoplay and stop lying in bed looking on social media. Instead, concentrate on developing sleep-promoting relaxation techniques like mild stretching, meditation, and reading.
From the Author
Revenge bedtime procrastination is hard to break. You may not feel pressured to give up those late-night delays in sleep until you have been feeling absolutely weary for a few days. If you’re often late to bed, reassessing how you spend your time each day is the first step in overcoming bedtime procrastination.
