Restful sleep is vital for good health, and reluctance to sleep can have consequences.
A few years ago, Netflix’s official Twitter account released the following message, “Sleep is my biggest enemy.” This perfectly sums up the battle you can experience when you know you should be in bed but avoid going. But the need to stay awake can be detrimental to your health. Here’s why it’s time to rethink bedtime procrastination and take steps toward a healthier path.
What is bedtime procrastination?
Our highly connected world keeps us on edge: there’s always one more episode to watch, another message to respond to, and a few social media apps to check. Daily pressures and challenges can make it difficult to find time for oneself. Is it any wonder that many of us delay going to bed?
Nearly twenty years ago, a group of European researchers coined the term “bedtime procrastination” to describe someone who goes to bed later than planned, even though they know it will have negative consequences. Their research showed that adults who procrastinated a lot were more tired and slept worse than those who didn’t procrastinate.
A key factor? Smartphone use: procrastinators use their devices an average of almost 80 minutes before bedtime, compared to 18 minutes for non-procrastinators.
Why is it important?
Regularly sleeping less than necessary or not getting enough good quality sleep is associated with many health problems, including cardiovascular issues such as hypertension and heart problems, cognitive problems, and depression. Rest is one of the three pillars of health, along with good nutrition and exercise. However, promoting restful sleep is often overlooked as a way to improve our physical and mental well-being.
What can be done? If you have trouble going to bed?
Recently, researchers in the Republic of Korea conducted a small trial of a program to combat bedtime procrastination. Their program focuses on improving motivation and changing behaviors. In this preliminary study, 20 participants attended 50-minute sessions once a week for three weeks, followed by a reminder phone call. They reduced the time spent procrastinating before bedtime by more than 60% and reported fewer problems with daytime sleepiness and insomnia.
Five great tips can help you reduce bedtime procrastination:
Find out what your motivation is for positive change. Bedtime procrastination wouldn’t exist if it didn’t have positive aspects: watching more TV or enjoying the only quiet time you have during the day. However, you probably need to calculate the costs of staying up later than you should. You experience the immediate gratification of being awake now. Instead, the potential reward of feeling good in the morning if you go to bed now is a distant possibility, hours and hours away. Be honest about the pros and cons of delaying bedtime and how you will feel the next day.
Record your sleep patterns. You can’t remember when you wanted to go to bed and when you went to bed in the last few weeks. Keeping track of this data for a week or two will help you understand if you need help with bedtime procrastination.
Set a realistic goal. Let’s say you know you need to go to bed at 11 p.m. to feel good the next day. If you usually go to bed at 1 a.m., it probably would be more realistic for you to go to bed at 11 a.m. every night. Start by delaying your bedtime by 15 to 30 minutes. If you are successful, keep up the momentum.
Make a changing contract. One of the most powerful tools you can bring to the table is a promise to another person. It holds you accountable and dramatically increases the likelihood that you will change your life. Have you ever wondered why you are more likely to go to the gym if you have a personal trainer? Consider sharing your goals and results with a partner, parent, child, family member, friend, or co-worker.
Be aware of barriers. When making changes, be mindful of the obstacles you face. For example, you may feel lonely at night, leading you to use your smartphone more than you should feel connected to others.
Conclusion
If you procrastinate going to bed, you’re not alone. Whether you feel you never have enough time for yourself or stay up late on Sunday night because you dread the Monday morning to-do list, your reluctance to fall asleep is entirely understandable. Putting off bedtime from time to time is a normal part of life and is not likely to affect your health. However, if you find that constant procrastination is causing you to get less sleep than you need, consider trying strategies to curb this habit.
