If you are not getting enough time to yourself, to do the things you want to do, during the day, then it can seem the obvious choice to trade in the amount of sleep you get, to spend some time doing what you want to do in the evening and at night. This is known as Revenge Bedtime Procrastination. But, is it healthy? Is this a good form of self-care? And is sacrificing sleep worth it?
In this blog, Dr Lindsay Browning explores the concept of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination, its increasing occurrence and its affects on our health.
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination (RBP)
Revenge bedtime procrastination, or RBP, means not going to bed at the time you intended because you are staying up late doing something for yourself. This may include watching the TV programmes that you want to; scrolling through social media, or gaming. The activities are often those that you haven’t had the time or opportunity to do during the day because you have been too busy with other responsibilities, working or spending time with your family and friends.
The result of RBP is that you do not get enough sleep because you are going to bed too late, and you still have to get up at your usual wake time for responsibilities you can not shirk. For example, you may have to get up to look after children and/or go off to work.
When you start getting into the habit of going to bed later than you need, your circadian rhythm starts to adjust to this. You start to feel sleepy later, making it harder to go to sleep earlier on the nights when you do want to go to bed on time.
An increase in Revenge Bedtime Procrastination
As a sleep therapist, I seen an increase in people finding it hard to go to bed at the right time at night because they feel that they need to have some time for themselves in the evening. This is true for all ages of people, in my experience, from young people in a house share through to older adults with children.
Since the pandemic and the increase in people working from home, either permanently or flexibly, it has meant that for some there is a huge decrease in the amount of time people have to themselves or how they see their home as a place ‘away from work’. In some instances, people are suddenly sharing the house with a partner all day, when previously they may have had some time alone – a time when they could have had autonomy in how they spent their time.
Why we do RBP
If you have spent your whole day looking after other people or compromising on what you want to do, then you can feel ‘hard done by’ to go to bed without having done the things that you choose or that satisfy you. Therefore, later in the evening, when everyone else has gone to bed, can feel like the ideal (and only) time to do the things you really want to do for yourself, without having to compromise.
However, this results in not getting as much sleep as you may need, causing you to become sleep deprived, which impacts your health and mental wellbeing.
The impact of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination on our health
When we don’t get the right amount of sleep, this has consequences on both our physical and mental health. People who don’t get the right amount of sleep tend to have:
- higher frequencies of depression and anxiety
- higher rates of heart disease and stroke
- greater risk of diabetes and obesity
- higher risk of getting dementia and certain types of cancers
- a reduced immune system
Also, your reaction times and ability to make decisions are compromised after a poor night’s sleep. Even though sleep can feel like a waste of time, it’s actually when your body regenerates and repairs. It is imperative for us to get enough sleep so that we are able to function at a peak level during the day.
RBP and self-care
If you find yourself doing RBP, then it’s a good indication that you don’t spend your day in proper balance. Have a look at how you spend your time during the day and how much time you allow yourself to do the things that you really want to do.
Are you spending the whole day compromising and doing things for other people, but neglecting yourself and your own wishes and desires?
Rather than sacrificing your sleep to be able to do these things, it’s a much better idea to try to make time during the day to do something for you or even dedicated days off or long weekends. If you don’t take care of yourself then you won’t be the best version of you, who can take care of the ones that you love.
Self-care is not selfish.
For more advice about sleep, self care and mental health, follow Dr Lindsay Browning on Instagram today.