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Key points
- Most Americans need more sleep, as they average less than 7 hours per night.
- Revenge bedtime procrastination, or sacrificing bedtime hours to catch up on other tasks, is a major culprit.
- Consider letting go of late-night habits that could prevent you from falling and staying asleep.
Let's face it: We're tired.
The results are in, and the writing is on the wall. The National Sleep Foundation's most recent Sleep in America Poll rates American adult sleep health at an unimpressive C average, with the majority of survey participants rating their sleep satisfaction as poor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that a third of adult Americans regularly get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night.
Daily, sufficient, uninterrupted quality sleep—in which we are able to cycle through several stages of sleep, including deep REM sleep—is linked to optimal physical and mental health and functioning. The consequences of sleep deprivation are serious and linked to short-term negative impacts like fatigue, an inability to concentrate and function throughout the day, and long-term chronic health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and mental health problems, including depression.
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination
The ways in which we sabotage sleep are many and varied, and many of these fall into a category known as revenge bedtime procrastination. This term encompasses the many ways we sacrifice our sleep time for me time—time to do things we think are more relaxing, important, or pressing. Doing so seriously impedes our chances of getting the quality sleep we need.
We fail to prioritize sleep. When facing a daunting work deadline, preparing for houseguests, packing for a holiday, or helping others, the last thing on our list—if it even makes the list—is factoring in a good night's sleep. We don't schedule regular sleep and wake times. We often build up sleep debt and promise ourselves we'll catch up on our sleep over the weekend, while on holiday, or at some time in the future. But the reality is that while we may feel rested after longer weekend sleeps, there is no replacement for regular, daily sleep.
Many of us spend the hours before bedtime unwinding, scrolling through social media, and binge-watching TV or movies. Prolonged exposure to blue light from television and electronics—often in the bedroom—in the hours before bedtime seriously disrupts sleep cycles by suppressing the production of melatonin. We indulge in alcohol or eat a large meal close to bedtime. We exercise too close to bedtime and seriously disrupt our sleep cycles. Is it any wonder why we aren't getting the sleep we need?
Bad Choices Lead to Bad Habits
Rather than wind down in preparation for a good night's sleep, we remain active right up until the moment we jump into bed, our minds racing with worries of the day, and expect to fall fast asleep. When these disruptive pre-sleep routines become the norm—that is to say, habitual—our sleep suffers.
The reality is that there is no substitute for a good night's sleep. When breaking free from bad sleep routines and habits, start with the knowledge that sleep is not a luxury but a necessity. Your health, safety, well-being, ability to function, and energy levels depend on it.
6 Steps to Breaking Free From Revenge Sleep Procrastination
1. Prioritize sleep. Factoring a good night's rest in the equation of your day, with consistent sleep and wake times, is key to breaking bad sleep habits.
2. Limit work, exercise, and heavy meals. Two hours before bedtime is too late for these activities.
3. Power down. Turn off TVs, computers, cell phones, and other electronics at least two hours before heading off to bed. (This may be a goal you need to set and work toward, but you will find it easier once you experience the positive impacts of this change.)
4. Create a pre-sleep routine to help you wind down. Find a way to calm your mind. Listen to music. Take a warm, relaxing bath. Meditate. Write a to-do list to help offload your worries and woes. Find a routine that works to calm your mind in the hours leading up to bedtime.
5. If you don't fall asleep within 15 minutes, get up. If you don't fall asleep within 10 to 15 minutes of going to bed, get up and spend time in another room. Don't check your devices or turn on the TV. Give yourself time to become drowsy. Then go back to bed.
6. Seek help if your sleep issues persist even after cleaning up your bad sleep habits. Talk to your primary care physician. An assessment at a sleep clinic could help determine what is impeding your sleep quality, and psychotropic medications or supplements can help you maintain a quality sleep routine during stressful or distressing times.
To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
