What Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination? Here’s How To Snap Out of It.

It is time to drop some truth bombs. We want to reflect on every question we ask you next very carefully.

• Are you a night owl?
• How many times have you forced yourself to sleep late purposefully just because you did not get time during the day to catch up on your favorite series?
• How many times have you skimped on sleep to scroll through social media or engage in activities you love with a sense of vengeance because you weren’t able to do it during the day?

Now, there is no sense of judgment here. But we want to help you acquaint yourself with a term that could explain why you indulge in this behavior despite knowing the consequences of sleep deprivation and disturbed sleep patterns.

What is revenge bedtime procrastination?

You may have heard about procrastination and sleep debt but have you ever heard about – revenge bedtime procrastination? It is a term that took the internet by storm a few months ago.

Simply put this refers to a behavior pattern that people who have little control over their daytime engage in, where they avoid sleeping early. They do this with the thought process of wanting to reclaim some freedom.

The term may be new, but this habit of purposeful delay of sleep to carve some time out for self has always existed. More so with the technology boom and the rise of various social media platforms. Revenge bedtime procrastination is taking revenge for not having time for yourself during the day by fitting your leisure time in late-night hours at the cost of your sleep.

Are you guilty of revenge bedtime procrastination? Photo Credit: Unsplash

This means spending time on social media and doom scrolling. Late-night scrolling and gadgets are one of the main reasons why most people are sleep deprived today, because not only does light interfere with sleep, it also stimulates our minds.

Thousands of us are guilty of having engaged in it. And we do this despite knowing the kind of impact lack of quality sleep inflicts on our bodies.

One of the biggest gaps that we observe in our clients who struggle with revenge bedtime procrastination is a lack of balance and time management. Here are some lifestyle tips that have helped them. We hope they can help you too.

How does it affect you?

Revenge bedtime procrastination has a direct effect on sleep. Science links sleep deprivation to an array of health conditions. Sleep deprivation is a silent pandemic and one of the definite root causes of most illnesses today, from low immunity to obesity, high blood pressure, mismanaged blood sugar levels, low emotional resilience, weak memory, accelerated aging, hormonal imbalances, and even cancer. Yes, most diseases are multifactorial, but sleep deprivation is also one of the main contributing factors.

We ought to understand that sleep has NO replacement or alternative. Your body can only help in a state of complete rest. A reason why sleep is considered magical in healing and recovery.

Warning signs to look out for

• Are you falling into the trap of the hustle-hard culture?
  Think about it. Human beings are the only species that sacrifice sleep to fulfill their personal, professional, or social interests. Because sleep is free, we take it for granted until we are chronically deprived of it causing our body to slow down. We live in times where social media has brainwashed us to believe in the hustle-hard culture. To believe that most successful people sacrificed nights of sleep to get to where they are. What they do not show us is the hidden behind closed doors – increased levels of inflammation, over-dependence on sleeping pills, and jarring health reports. You need to understand that success is great, but it cannot come at the cost of your sleep or health.
• Is the line between your professional and personal life blurred?
  With the work-from-home culture in full swing, the lines between our personal and professional lives have blurred. And while it is easy for us to blame it on the pandemic, we need to understand that only we can take control of our work-life situation before it spirals out of hand. If this means better time management, setting boundaries in our work life, following a proper timetable or schedule and following it with discipline, and maintaining clear communication – then be it.
• Do you find yourself mindlessly doom scrolling?
  Social media can be a powerful tool if used the right way. But you need to stop using it as an excuse for recreation to a point it’s harming your health – physically and emotionally. It is a recipe for self-sabotage. We look at heavily filtered picture-perfect lives and exotic vacations and start comparing our lives to them. We begin projecting our blame, failures, anger, and bitterness on others. But we fail to see the possible hidden reality behind them.What we need is to become accountable. If you admire a billionaire, stop the green monster of envy before it creeps up. Get inspired instead. Comparison and learning are different. Start charting your action plan to reach your goals. Because if all you are doing is comparing yourself to them, you are just wasting your finite time. Use social media if you want to, but responsibly. Set an intention and time and stick to it. Learn tips to develop social media hygiene here.

Do you spend hours scrolling social media late at night? Photo Credit: Unsplash

• Do you NOT have a pre-bedtime ritual/routine?
  It is easier to get sucked into the black hole of revenge bedtime procrastination if you do not follow a solid pre-bedtime routine. A lack of structure in your evening routine can make it easy for you to lean on social media, binge-watching, and other unhealthy recreational activities to find your me-time. Setting and following powerful bedtime rituals can help you disconnect from the daytime chaos.

Some soothing rituals to promote sleep and relaxation include:

• • Take a warm bath
  • Pray
  • Journal
  • Solve crossword puzzles or play sudoku
  • Spend time with your family having pleasant conversations
  • Play with your kids
  • Be consistent with your gadgets and digital detox. Limiting your screen time to at least an hour or two before bed is necessary
  • Sleep in a pitch dark room
  • Sprinkle or dab essential oils like lavender, frankincense, or vetiver on your pillow
  • Try the left nostril or 4-7-8 breathing techniques. (Check out other breathing exercises here.)
  • Read before bedtime
  • Reflect on your day and moments that made you smile
  • Offer gratitude
  • Meditate and set intentions for the next day
  • Make love
  • Try Yoga Nidra and Shavasana

What is your bedtime routine? Photo Credits: Unsplash

How to cope with it?

• Follow self-discipline
  It all begins with vitamin D. Here it refers to discipline. You will always have a thousand distractions around you. But building self-discipline can empower you to make better choices. Want to scroll social media? Set an intention. Want to watch one episode of your favorite show? Only watch one. If you do not set intentions for these, you will inadvertently waste time that you should be investing in your sleep. Watch my video on best ways to instill self-discipline here.

• Manage your time and set boundaries
  If you lack structure in your day, you are more susceptible to engaging in revenge bedtime procrastination. So, start by structuring your day. Budget time for your daily activities and follow a plan to manage them. Once you ace it, you will start running your day instead of your day running you. Look at it like this. Take 8 hours from your 24 hours of the day for sleep, make it non-negotiable. Plan the rest of your activities in the remaining 18 hours. This will include your work, me-time, family time, workouts, socializing, and so on. Want to learn how to run your day like a boss? Read this.

Did you make your to-do list today? Photo Credits: Unsplash

• Allot me-time
  If your plan for the day doesn’t include time for you to unwind or engage in hobbies you love, it is incomplete. The idea is to reclaim this lost power healthily without compromising your sleep. So when you create a daily calendar, schedule time for yourself too. It is NOT selfish. It is self-care and just as important as the time you dedicate to your work, movement, and household chores.

Know when it is time to consult an expert

Sometimes, when you are struggling with internal and external issues, building and applying discipline and time management to your life can become an arduous task to manage. It is easy to fall into behavior patterns that do not serve us and engage in revenge bedtime procrastination. When it begins affecting your daily life, it is time to seek the right professional help and guidance.

One way to do this is to reach out to a life coach who understands them and takes small steps to personalize their goals to get back on track. However, if the case is extreme, it is advised to seek professional guidance from a psychologist.

If you need the support of a holistic life coach, we help you find a way. Get in touch with us at 18001020253 or write to us at kruti@lukecoutinho.com. Know more about our holistic life coaching program here.