Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: The Reason You’re Staying Up Way Past Your Bedtime

Many of us did it as children. Under the covers armed with a book and a flashlight or a gaming system we put off bedtime in order to finish one more chapter or get to the next level. Now, as adults, we are doing the same thing except this time we really want to go to bed but we just…don’t.

This is revenge bedtime procrastination, and its prevalence increased sharply with the onset of the Covid pandemic and quarantining measures. According to the National Sleep Foundation revenge bedtime procrastination is “the decision to sacrifice sleep for leisure time that is driven by a daily schedule lacking in free time.” 

Based upon my clinical observations over the course of the pandemic I am adding meaningful free time because many found more time on their hands but there was still an increase in revenge bedtime procrastination that does not fit the above definition precisely.

Why “Revenge”? 

Adding “revenge” to idea of bedtime procrastination began on social media and is an English-language translation of 報復性熬夜 “bàofùxìng áoyè” a phenomenon observed in China wherein young, stressed Chinese employees sacrifice sleep for meaningful leisure time even knowing it is ultimately unhealthy.

This practice of delaying sleep in order to eke out some sort leisure time is seen as getting “revenge” on the daytime activities, chiefly work and other obligations, that rob the individual of free or “me” time while the sun is up.

This idea, as said above, has gained global traction in the face of the stress caused by Covid-19.

Why Do We Do It?

The psychology science behind sleep procrastination is still relatively new. As a result, there is not yet a definitive answer on what drives us to do this. 

One train of thought looks at the intention-behavior gap. This is the gap between someone’s desire or intension to change their behavior and the actual follow through. It is the difference between “I want to lose weight/stop smoking/reduce my drinking, etc.” and actually enacting the behavior changes that make this happen long term.

One explanation for this gap with revenge bedtime procrastination is a failure of self-control given that our capacity for self-control is at its lowest at the end of the day after the demands of work/school, etc. reduce our reserves of control available by nighttime. 

Not everyone agrees with this explanation, however, because of the emphasis it places on self-control. Others argue it may have more to do with natural circadian rhythms with night owls trying to adapt to a schedule that is designed for early birds. Additionally, revenge bedtime procrastination also not be so much a failure of self-control but more an attempt to recover from stress.

While more research needs to be done, anecdotally this is what I am seeing more of in my office. Recall I added meaningful to the definition of revenge bedtime procrastination. Within the context of Covid-19, I believe the reason I have seen more of this reported in my practice over the past 18 months is the lack of both meaningful daytime activity—while work may not be fun it has a purpose, and thus meaning—and positive anticipation. 

By that I mean good things to look forward to. Overall, there were no trips to the movies, weekends away, cook outs, holidays with families, sports to attend or play. None of the positive rhythms by which we mark our lives. Even for those who live for the weekend (which I do not recommend, by the way) after five days the weekend and all its positive potential arrives. During the pandemic the weekend meant…sitting at home. Even the “introverts” got tired of it.

As a result, more and more people began to search for daily meaning and human contact through the only avenues available. For many this was the internet. Endlessly scrolling through social media and the news, dubbed “doom scrolling,” in a simultaneous attempt to “stay ahead” of the virus and its dangers while also seeking anything that could assuage our anxiety or bring a little spark of joy.

I, myself, was subject to this many, many times to the point where I now have an alarm on my phone to stop looking at all news and social media at 9pm. Granted, in my own revenge bedtime procrastination that just meant endless YouTube documentaries, anime, or my umpteenth playthrough of “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.”

How to Combat Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

We know the what, and we know some of the why. So now let’s see what we can do about it.

As with all things involving sleep, good sleep hygiene goes a long way. This includes creating good sleep habits and an environment conducive to sleep. This means an inviting bedroom that is dark, comfortable, and not associated with other activities. If you have a desk, TV, or game system in your bedroom I strongly recommend moving it if possible. 

This also means no electronics for no less than an hour before bedtime.

I am willing to bet your doctor has told you this but probably not why. The blue light emitted by our screens is processed by our brains as something akin to sunlight. As far as our brains are concerned this means its “awake time.” Even if you turn off the screen and immediately fall asleep the quality of the sleep is poor because a part of your brain is still up and active. This essentially loses hours of good “night time” sleep and is closer to a nap rather than actual sleep for all intents and purposes.

Just like my “no doom scrolling” alarm I have another one on my phone for an hour before bedtime. I use this hour to get ready for sleep and read in bed via regular lightbulb or my Kindle depending. All of the lights in my home have a light color under 4000K so that I don’t wind up with the same blue light problem anyway. This is the one thing I miss about my old warm white florescent lightbulbs.

For an excellent article on how different lightbulbs effect our eyes, our sleep, and overall health please go to this blog post from Natural Eye Care.

The other best practices for quality sleep hygiene and combating revenge bedtime procrastination are creating routines that can be done semi-automatically. A regular, consistent bedtime all seven days of the week, and a consistent nighttime routine can help with impulses to stay up later instead of heading to bed. We are, after all, creatures of habit. 

In addition to teeth brushing and all that many enjoy reading a book via lightbulb or Kindle. Relaxation routines such as gentle stretching or guided meditations from YouTube or a sleep support app are popular with some of my clients.

Where Can I Learn More? 

For some more information on revenge bedtime procrastination try these articles from WebMD and Healthline.

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