The term "revenge of procrastination" may sound quite aggressive, but in reality it's something that happens quietly and harmlessly, once the kids are already asleep and the emails have stopped coming into the inbox.

It's 1:00 AM and you know that in a few hours you have to get up to start another hectic day. Despite your fatigue, you choose to put the next episode of your favorite series on Netflix and sacrifice a few more hours of sleep on the altar of personal free time.

If this situation sounds familiar to you, then the revenge of procrastination for sleep is something you probably do too, unwittingly.

Of course, there is a scientific explanation behind this behavior, which we will analyze in this article. In addition, you will learn who is most affected by revenge sleep procrastination, what are the effects of this phenomenon on your health, and how to deal with it.

So let's go see.

What is "revenge procrastination for sleep"?

The concept of "revenge sleep procrastination" refers to the phenomenon in which people postpone their sleep to engage in activities that they do not have time to do during the day.

In short, it is a way to find time for recreation and entertainment at the expense of sleep.

Why "revenge"?

The addition of the word "revenge bedtime procrastination" became popular on social media after a viral tweet by journalist Daphne K. Lee, who described the term as something that happens when "people who don't have much control over their lives during the day refuse to go to bed early in order to regain some sense of freedom even late at night."

Procrastination is often related to stress and lack of free time during the day, which results in the desire to create free time for ourselves.

The term "revenge" is added to this type of sleep procrastination, as it is an attempt to get our revenge for those hours of the day when we were unable to have free personal time.

How does a person with revenge sleep procrastination behave?

Staying up late at night is not necessarily a sign of revenge for sleep procrastination. Researchers report that the main characteristics that define sleep procrastination are three:

1. Postponing sleep should lead to a reduction in the hours the person sleeps at night.
2. Going to bed late is a purely personal choice and is not due to any other reason, such as illness or other external factors that prevent sleep.
3. People who engage in this behavior are fully aware that it can lead to negative consequences, but they choose to engage in it anyway.

Procrastination behaviors before bed reflect procrastination in other contexts , such as avoiding work or household chores, such as cleaning the house.

However, sleep procrastination does not usually create negative associations like these other obligations. Instead, sleep can be restricted in favor of activities that provide immediate pleasure, such as watching TV, spending time with friends, or playing video games.

Sleep procrastination can take many forms. One is delaying getting into bed with the intention of falling asleep (bedtime procrastination). Another is delaying the attempt to fall asleep by spending too much time in bed doing other activities. This problem has undoubtedly been associated with the increase in the use of electronic devices in bed.

A person may engage in one or both of these forms of sleep procrastination, either of which can reduce the hours of nightly sleep.

Who is most affected by the revenge of sleep procrastination?

Because research on sleep procrastination is still in its early stages, experts aren't sure who is most affected by it.

However, a 2019 study found that students and women are more likely to postpone their sleep for another activity.

Additionally, people with an evening chronotype tend to stay up late at night, which can manifest as sleep procrastination. Finally, this phenomenon seems to be more common in people who are procrastinators in other aspects of their lives.

Now regarding the revenge of sleep procrastination, in general, anyone can be affected, but those who are most likely to succumb to this phenomenon are:

• Those who face intense stress in their professional lives
• Those who work long hours and of course,
• Parents who have little time for themselves during the day.

It often starts with small acts, like staying awake scrolling through Instagram. But soon, those 10 or 15 minutes turn into an hour or two. In some cases, it can take until dawn before you give in and finally decide it's time for bed.

The psychology behind the revenge of sleep procrastination

Sleep procrastination is still an emerging concept in sleep science, and as a result, there are ongoing discussions about the psychology behind this voluntary sleep reduction.

People who procrastinate are aware of the situation and generally want to get enough sleep. Yet they don't. This is known in psychology as the "intention-behavior gap."

One explanation for this gap is a failure in self-regulation or self-control. Our capacity for self-control at the end of the day is already at its lowest level , which may facilitate sleep procrastination.

Some people may naturally have a tendency to procrastinate about certain things, including when to go to bed. Additionally, the demands of work or school can reduce a person's reserves of self-control available in the evening.

However, not everyone agrees with this explanation, with some arguing that this theory places too much emphasis on self-control .

Conversely, sleep procrastination can result from individuals who have an evening chronotype (those who are most productive and active in the evening hours) being forced to adapt to schedules designed for morning types .

In the revenge of sleep procrastination, sacrificing sleep for free time can also be seen, not as a failure of self-control, but rather as an attempt to find time to recover and deal with the stress caused during the day.

Further research is needed to better understand sleep procrastination, which may be the result of an interaction of many factors , including each person's chronotype, daytime stress, and difficulties with self-regulation (i.e., modifying behavior to achieve a goal.)

The effects of procrastination revenge on sleep

Sleeping late occasionally will not have a significant impact on your sleep schedule, health, or overall well-being.

The problem is when procrastination becomes a regular habit. Late nights followed by early mornings can lead to sleep deprivation. This sleep deprivation can impair your ability to meet the demands of the next day and can start to affect your physical and mental health over time.

The negative consequences of sleep deprivation caused by revenge sleep procrastination may potentially include:

• Stress
• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of heart problems
• Weakening of the immune system
• Weight gain
• Insufficient memory

How to deal with the revenge of sleep procrastination?

The best solution for sleep procrastination is to maintain proper sleep hygiene, which includes creating good sleep habits and an environment that is conducive to sleep.

Remember that it will take more than one night to really develop good sleep habits.

Having set routines can make behaviors seem almost automatic . For this reason, a nighttime routine can reduce the urge to stay up late instead of going to bed.

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Some examples of positive sleep habits include:

• Maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, including on non-work days
• Avoiding alcohol or caffeine in the late afternoon or evening
• Stop using electronic devices, including cell phones and tablets, for at least half an hour (ideally more) before bedtime
• Developing a consistent routine each night for preparing for sleep

Relaxation techniques, such as reading a book, meditating, or gentle stretching, can be part of your bedtime routine and help you fall asleep. Breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation can also reduce stress, which can lead to a relapse of sleep procrastination.

Creating a sleep-friendly room that is dark, cool, and quiet and using a gravity blanket can also make sleep more appealing. A sleep-friendly space can counteract the urge to sacrifice sleep for recreational activities.

If you find that your sleep problems continue and you are experiencing noticeable daytime sleepiness, then we would suggest speaking with a doctor who can review your sleep habits, determine if you are affected by a sleep disorder, and create a plan together to help you rest better.

Epilogue

The revenge of procrastination is a difficult habit to break. It may take a while for you to feel completely exhausted before you really realize it and are forced to give up this procrastination tendency.

Because the behavior is ultimately motivated by a sense of not having complete control over your time during the day, reevaluating how you spend your time each day is often the first step to overcoming bedtime procrastination.

Tackle stress and insomnia with a gravity blanket

Gravity blankets are the most effective way to deal with insomnia and stress without medication, as they have been used for many decades to help people suffering from anxiety disorders, autism, and other sensory disorders.

How do they work?

They are designed to apply gentle, steady pressure to the entire body, which occupational therapists call “ Deep Tactile Pressure .” This steady pressure relaxes the nervous system and helps the body naturally increase levels of serotonin and melatonin (the hormones of happiness and sleep) while reducing levels of cortisol, which is responsible for stress.

As a result, the mind stops "racing", the heart rate drops, the mood improves and the body enters a state of complete relaxation.

Choose the one that weighs closest to 10% of your body weight and upgrade your sleep from the very first night.