How to Avoid Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

Revenge bedtime procrastination is a term that sounds scary. However, it's something many people suffer from, and it's not nearly as bad as it might seem at first.

It's well past midnight, everyone is asleep, and nobody from work is trying to contact you anymore. You've been up for over 15 hours; now is the first time you've been free all day. So, you start scrolling through social media, watching TV, and more.

You know that you should be going to bed because you have tons to do the next day, but you can't help staying up because there are some things you'd like to do, like watch your favorite show. Some of us might not want to go to bed because we know how much there is to do the next day, and we'd like to put it off for as long as possible.

Whatever the case may be, revenge bedtime procrastination can seriously impact the rest of your life, especially as far as your energy levels go. Today, we will discuss if revenge bedtime procrastination is a mental illness, how to stop it, and how to avoid it in the first place.

Key Takeaways

• Revenge bedtime procrastination is about staying up way longer than you should, even though you know you shouldn't be, especially despite nothing stopping you from going to sleep.
• Revenge bedtime procrastination may result in serious mental health and physical health consequences.
• To prevent revenge bedtime procrastination, establish a pattern for yourself, turn off your electronics, make an effort to carve out time during the day for fun activities, and remind yourself that you'll need energy the next day.

What is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?

Although it's not a condition officially recognized as a mental illness, one that is diagnosable with official criteria, it is recognized as something that many people struggle with. It also appears to be happening more and more as the years go on.

Technically speaking, revenge bedtime procrastination is the act of staying up way too late, far past your bedtime, despite knowing that you have to get up early again the next day for work and other responsibilities.

Specifically, many peoplestay up too late at night scrolling social media, watching TV, and doing other activities they feel they couldn't do during the day. A part of it is being able to watch TV and get some free time, but it€™s also about putting off the responsibilities you€™ll be faced with the following day.

If you go to sleep, it feels like you wake up in the blink of an eye, which means that all of your daily responsibilities come at you just that much faster. However, if you stay awake, it feels like the next day is further away, hence the term procrastination.

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: Origins

In 2014, there was an article published in a journal known as theFrontiers of Psychology where the term bedtime procrastination was coined. Researchers here defined it as the failure to go to bed at the intended time despite no external circumstances preventing said person from going to bed.

The term €œrevenge€ then appeared thanks to a journalist, Daphne K. Lee, in response to the severe working conditions faced by manufacturing workers in China, including working 12 hours a day, six days a week.

She said this was a phenomenon where people didn't have much control over their daily lives and refused to go to sleep early to regain a certain sense of freedom and control during the later hours of the night. This is where the term revenge bedtime procrastination originates from.

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: Signs

The biggest sign that you're suffering from revenge bedtime crash procrastination is if you wake up every morning still feeling exhausted, groggy, and tired, almost like you haven't slept enough. That€™s precisely right; you need more sleep.

The recommendation is that people should get around 8 hours of sleep per night, and if you're getting significantly less than that, then it's a big sign that you're suffering from this condition.

Furthermore, an even bigger indication, combined with waking up tired, is that you can go to bed much earlier than you did but didn't do so, likely because you wanted to watch TV, read a book, scroll through social media, or anything else.

If you're super tired at 9 PM, but you stay up until 1 AM scrolling social media and watching TV, in spite of having to be up at 5 AM, this is the number one indicator that you are suffering from revenge bedtime crypto procrastination.

Simply put, you're going to bed way later than you should, even though there's technically nothing stopping you from doing so.

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: Impact

The number one impact ofrevenge bedtime procrastination is that you end up feeling really tired every day. If you're far too tired, you're not able to perform well in your daily life, whether that is work, school, or anything in between.

If you don't have enough energy, you won't be able to function properly. This concerns more than just energy; it may alsoaffect your cognitive abilities. Your ability to remember and solve problems will also deteriorate without enough sleep.

Many other issues arise when you don't get enough sleep, including, but not limited to, high blood pressure,heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and even a weakened immune system.

Sleep is perhaps the most important thing you need daily besides food and water, and without it, your body and mind will suffer greatly.

Why Does Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Happen?

Revenge bedtime procrastination happens because we're just far too busy and have too many responsibilities. Many of us have super long work days, children to take care of, and other responsibilities that keep us busy all day.

It comes down to the fact that we don't have enough free time, and the only time we get to do what we like is when we should already be asleep. Human beings are generally just way too overworked.

Who is Most Affected by Bedtime Procrastination?

People who are already prone to procrastination are often affected by this. However, the people who are the busiest are the most affected by bedtime procrastination.

The less free time you have during the day to do the things you like, the more likely you are to stay up later at night to do those things. More often than not, it is working parents that suffer from this.

Parents spend all day working and taking care of their kids, only to go to bed and have to do it all over again immediately the next morning. It is those few hours of bedtime procrastination when busy parents get to have a bit of time for themselves.

People with sleep conditions like insomnia are also likely to suffer from this.

Consequences of Bedtime Procrastination

The consequences of bedtime procrastination can be very severe, with the least of it being feeling fatigued all day the next day. Your cognitive abilities will be affected, and as mentioned previously, there are various health consequences as well.

How to Overcome Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

Now that we know what sleep procrastination is and why it happens let's take a quick look at some of the best ways to overcome it.

Think Positive

Many people who suffer from revenge bedtime procrastination think of sleep as a bad thing. People think of it as a chore, and moreover, people also realize that if they sleep, time passes quickly, which means that the next day comes faster as well.

You need to reframe how you view sleep so you view it as something positive to look forward to.

Make Free Time

Most people engage in revenge bedtime procrastination because they just don't have enough free time throughout the day to do the things they like. Therefore, a good idea is to give yourself at least 15 or 30 minutes every single day to do the things you like.

This will make you feel less inclined to stay up late to do those same things.

Routines Help

Human beings are creatures of routine, and once you start doing something regularly, it will become ingrained in you. Try to stick to a solid bedtime routine that has you doing the same things every night before bed.

Try winding down 20 or 30 minutes before you go to sleep, and follow a solid routine, such as brushing your teeth, reading, skincare, and whatever else you would like.

On that note, maintaining a good schedule is ideal as well. If you know that you need to be up by 6 the next morning, going to bed by 10 p.m. is recommended.

Know When it€™s Time for Bed

Some of us might not realize that we're tired because we're so invested in doing the things we enjoy. However, you should look for your sleep cues to know when you start feeling drowsy. This is when you should go to bed.

Put Your Devices Away

In today's world where everybody has their phones and tablets, it can be really hard to go to bed because there's just one more reel, one more post for you to see.

Therefore, a good idea is to create a routine where you put your devices to sleep every single night at the same time. On that note, turn off the autoplay so your TV show doesn't keep running.

Natural Ways to Get Better Rest

There are some really great ways to get more rest that don€™t involve a lot of effort and hard work. What we are talking about here isTUNE IN.

This powdered drink contains an amazing blend of adaptogens, nootropics, beneficial mushrooms, vitamins, and minerals. Some of the key ingredients includelion€™s mane, cordyceps, alpha GPC, ashwagandha, Rhodiola rosea, and many more.

These ingredients all come together to help improve your mental state and cognition while providing you with energy throughout the day. You€™ll be able to crush your to-dos and free time to do the things you enjoy and still be able to go to sleep at an appropriate time.

Final Thoughts

If you are someone who suffers from revenge sleep procrastination on an ongoing basis, following the tips we provided above is essential, because sleep deprivation contributes to poor mental and bodily health.

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: FAQs

Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination a Disorder?

Although it is recognized as being real, revenge bedtime procrastination is not officially seen as a mental illness.

How to Avoid Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?

To avoid revenge bedtime procrastination, set a routine for yourself, shut off your devices, try to carve out some time during the day for enjoyable activities, and tell yourself that you'll need energy the next day as well.

How Common is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?

Revenge bedtime procrastination is extremely common, something that many adults suffer from.

How to Deal with Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?

If you're dealing with revenge bedtime procrastination, something like TUNE IN could certainly go a long way in helping.