I hate getting ready for bed. I love sleeping, but I loathe the process it takes me to get there. I absolutely despise brushing my teeth, flossing, taking off my makeup, and anything else that involves preparing for bed. I couldn’t tell you why, but I do. Another curious thing is that I always have to clean my room before going to bed. It takes me half an hour to get ready for bed on a good night, and an hour or so on a normal one.
After years of hating the process of getting ready for bed and taking so long to do so, I realized I procrastinate going to sleep. In fact, I’m not the only one with this bad habit. A 2014 study from Utrecht University in the Netherlands found that “the 177 participants typically experienced moderate levels of ‘bedtime procrastination,’ defined as going to bed later than intended even though there are no external circumstances accountable for doing so.” So, this is a common thing. But why?
There are a few reasons that explain our sleep procrastination. According to New York City psychologist Janet K. Kennedy, “work culture, technology, and social media are big culprits contributing to bedtime procrastination.” Another explanation I came across was ‘revenge bedtime procrastination,’ which is “the decision to sacrifice sleep for leisure time that is driven by a daily schedule lacking in free time.” Someone who has a demanding job is an example of a kind of person who exhibits this habit. As a full-time college student with a job and plenty of extracurriculars, I can see how I fit this description.
So, in case you were wondering if you were the only one who hates getting ready for bed or constantly procrastinates doing so, you’re not alone. Luckily there are plenty of tips out there to help you overcome this bad habit; there are even some in the articles I cited below.
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