What is bedtime procrastination?

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By Katherine Bruce

Constantly tired because you go to bed late?

Annoying isn’t it?!

World over, millions of us go to bed too late almost every night, and suffer because of it.

Why? Because, while late nights may not sound like a big deal, getting sufficient sleep is crucial for our physical and emotional health. Go to bed late too often, and you’ll be walking around suffering the effects of chronic sleep deprivation, even if you feel like you’re doing ok.

The answer sounds simple: just go to bed on time. But for many of us, fixing that bedtime procrastination cycle is oddly tricky.

So, if you’re already asking yourself “How can I stop bedtime procrastination and go to bed earlier”, well done!

Here’s a quick introduction to this fascinating (and frustrating!) behaviour:

What is bedtime procrastination?
Why do I procrastinate at bedtime?
Tips for how to stop bedtime procrastination

Let’s start with some definitions…

What is bedtime procrastination?

In one of the first studies into bedtime procrastination, a procrastination researcher called Kroese, described the behaviour as: 

“Failing to go to bed at the intended time, while no external circumstances prevent a person from doing so.”

This was also the study that created the standard Bedtime Procrastination Scale, which has since been used in studies around the globe and validated in multiple languages.

A couple of years later in a different bedtime procrastination study, Kroese (who has done lots of research in this area) and team described bedtime procrastination as:

“Needlessly and voluntarily delaying going to bed, despite foreseeably being worse off as a result.”

These definitions are now used everywhere, from scientific papers to Wikipedia. 

What is revenge bedtime procrastination?

If you’re down a 'How to go to bed earlier' Google or ChatGPT rabbit hole, this comes up pretty quickly.

Apparently, the term ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’ was first coined in China. It’s sometimes called revenge sleep procrastination and describes the behaviour of delaying going to bed in response to having no time to yourself during the day. Originally, it was just about working long hours, but, understandably, it also comes up a lot on parenting forums.

In one study in Pakistan, where the researchers explored the relationship between revenge bedtime procrastination and academic success, the authors defined revenge bedtime procrastination as:

“the choice of forgoing sleep in favor of leisure time due to a daily schedule devoid of adequate free time.” 

Crucially, revenge bedtime procrastination suggests intention: you’re not just losing track of time; you’re staying up late on purpose because you want time to yourself. 

What is sleep procrastination?

In a study by Paula Magalhães and colleagues, the authors use the term Sleep Procrastination, then go on to make a distinction between:

Bedtime procrastination: the behaviours individuals engage in before going to bed.
vs
While-in-bed procrastination: the behaviours individuals engage in after going to bed.

This distinction is useful, because there are lots of people who can go to bed on time, but still find themselves going to sleep late because they get caught up scrolling social media, watching TV in bed, or reading etc.

Why do I procrastinate at bedtime?

One study by Saane Nauts and colleagues looked at how people explain what happens when they go to bed late. They found three types of explanation:

Deliberate bedtime procrastinators: People delay their bedtime because they feel they deserve time for themselves. This would be the revenge bedtime procrastination group.

Mindless bedtime procrastinators: People lose track of time.

Strategic delay bedtime procrastinators: People go to bed late because they think they need to in order to feel tired enough to fall asleep. For this last group, the authors suggested that the issue might be undiagnosed insomnia.

In the wider literature, there are plenty of other suggested causes:

Chronotype: You’re more likely to procrastinate at bedtime if you're a night owl who is naturally wired to go to bed late and sleep for longer in the mornings.
Depleted self-regulation: A study by Kamphorst and colleagues found that when people are required to be self-disciplined throughout the day (saying no to chocolate etc) they’re more likely to go to bed late, and delay going to bed for longer.
Screen addiction: Whether you’re constantly scrolling, endlessly binge-watching or playing computer games, most of the content we consume is hard to say no to.
Habit: One of the under-studied areas of bedtime procrastination is simply habit: sometimes, we go to bed late because we’ve always gone to bed late. It’s as automatic as brushing our teeth in the morning, because night after night we’ve created and strengthened our ‘late bedtime’ neural pathways.
All of the above: It’s very possible, of course, that there isn’t one single cause, but a combination of factors. The reasons can also change throughout the evening: sometimes you lose track of time; sometimes you get sucked into watching just one more episode. 

Whatever your own personal relationship with bedtime procrastination, if it’s causing you to miss out on sleep, it’s well worth paying it some attention.

Tips for how to stop bedtime procrastination 

Need to learn how to go to bed earlier? Here are some tips to help. (You can also take the Untired Me quiz for a potential quick fix!)

Tune in: Learning more about the value of sleep can be a powerful incentive to change the habit. Whether you want to be more decisive, less worrisome, or simply have more energy, it all starts with sleep.
Have a clear bedtime: How long do you actually need to close down the house, get ready for bed and fall asleep? Once you know what time you need to go to bed, set a bedtime alarm as a cue.
Make a plan: Our self-regulation diminishes as the day progresses, so relying on willpower alone isn’t always a great idea. One study in Singapore found that simply having a bedtime plan in place makes us more likely to go to bed on time, probably because it takes decision-making out of the equation.
Focus on habit: Rather than relying on willpower, think about how to build a new habit. Repetition builds the neural pathways that make it much easier and automatic to go to bed on time.

How can the Untired Me programme help me go to bed earlier?

If you need a solution to bedtime procrastination, and the usual tips aren’t working, the Untired Me programme could be a good next step. It’s a structured programme that includes an online course, coursebook and a free monthly newsletter to help you stay on track. Created by an ex-bedtime procrastinator, you’ll find the programme is full of fascinating research and quick classes that help you to:

• unpick your current bedtime procrastination habit
• discover who the real, untired you could be
• create a new habit that you can stick to.

And finally…

In today's busy, screen-filled world, bedtime procrastination has never been harder to resist. But if you're constantly going to bed late and constantly tired, then you’re missing out on the real you. It's well worth taking the time to find a solution to bedtime procrastination, and get the sleep you deserve.