More of my clients have been reporting symptoms of “revenge sleep procrastination”—a habit of staying up late so they can enjoy time scrolling their phone, playing games and binge watching TV after a long day. I know I’ve been known to spend nights doing this myself.
The term “revenge sleep procrastination” has its origins in Chinese work culture, which refers to a “996” work week (working from 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week).
While research on revenge sleep procrastination is still emerging, the internet is full of stories from people who do this to unwind after long days. I’ve learned just how common this habit is—and some reasonable, practical ways available to us in order to break it. And although everyone’s schedule looks different, for the purposes of this article, I will refer here to people living and working a typical first-shift routine.
What exactly is “Revenge Sleep Procrastination”?
At its core, revenge sleep procrastination is the intentional delay of going to sleep to gain personal leisure time. It isn’t just staying up late; it is a specific psychological response to a lack of personal leisure time during the day.
This behavior is defined by three distinct indicators:
- Intentional delay: You make a conscious choice to put off sleep.
- No valid reason: You don’t have an external excuse or explanation such as an illness or an emergency considered acceptable for missing work, school or important obligations.
- Full awareness: You know the delay will almost certainly lead to negative consequences in the coming days, yet the urge and intention to stay awake persists.
We know a large majority of the global population is sleep-deprived, but we are only beginning to understand how much of that deprivation is a direct result of this “retaliatory” behavior.
Who is Most at Risk for Revenge Sleep Procrastination?
Anyone can start to procrastinate about bedtime, but people who are most at risk of revenge sleep procrastination include the following:
- Parents with large families and/or young children
- Students
- Women, many of whom find themselves balancing the dual demands of kids and careers
- Inhabitants of larger cities
- People with unsatisfying and high stress jobs and who work long hours
- Neurodivergent people
- Heavy users of technology
Causes of Revenge Sleep Procrastination.
The term sounds dramatic because, in a way, it is. Revenge sleep procrastination is a form of civil disobedience in the face of the demands of modern life. Several factors contribute to why we fall into this trap:
Control
When your days are filled with endless meetings, chores and the expectations of others, you can lose your sense of autonomy and control. Keeping late-night hours, especially after everyone else has gone to bed, become “your” time. It may be the only part of the day when no one is expecting or requesting anything of you.
Willpower and Neuroscience
We have a finite amount of emotional, physical and mental energy each day. As nighttime approaches, many people find they lack the remaining oomph to force themselves to go to bed. This is compounded by the allure of screens and apps that trigger releases of dopamine (the brain’s “feel good” reward chemical) that is designed to keep us engaged (and are largely successful in doing so).
When we are fatigued and weary, our prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that helps us problem-solve and consider future outcomes—is less effective and less reliable and responsive. This makes it incredibly difficult to resist the instant gratification of social media.
Society
We live in a world with burdensome and often unrealistic expectations, characterized by an obsession with productivity and the need to always be “on.” When leisure time is not emphasized or is seen as a lack of commitment, people feel forced to “steal” their relaxation time from their sleep hours.
The world involves increasing complexity and frenetic pace that can tire us and sometimes we might think we wouldn’t have it any other way – it’s entertaining and responsive after all.
Chronotypes
Biology also plays a role. People tend to be born “larks” (morning people) or “owls” (night people). Our society is largely built for larks, forcing “owls” to function on a schedule that doesn’t fit their natural biology. When an owl is forced to wake up early for a “first shift” world, they may use the late night to finally feel “awake” and in control.
Neurodivergence and Mood Disorder
Neurodivergent individuals (autistic people and those diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD) are at a higher risk for sleep procrastination. This can be explained by:
- Time blindness—the inability to keep track of time through senses alone
- Challenges with emotional regulation—for example, self-stimulatory behavior may not prepare the body for sleep
- Intense interests that prompt staying up late to pursue topics there was no time for during the day
Costs of Revenge Sleep Procrastination
The consequences of this behavior go far beyond feeling a little tired the next morning. Experts have warned that insufficient sleep is a global public health epidemic. For those who otherwise have a safe, sufficient environment for sleep, revenge sleep procrastination poses a real risk of developing into actual diagnosed sleep disorders, such as insomnia or sleep apnea.
The costs of chronic sleep procrastination include:
- Cognitive function: Brain fog, memory problems, focus issues, and faulty decision-making
- Safety: Slower reaction times and an increased risk of accidents
- Emotional health: Increased anxiety, depression, irritability, and a significantly lower frustration tolerance
- Physical health: A weakened immune system and increased risk for heart disease, weight gain, and metabolic disorders like diabetes. It can even make existing physical pain harder to tolerate.
- Accidents and death: Sleep deprivation is responsible for 71,000 accidents a year, and a contributor to 7 out of the 15 leading causes of death in the U.S.
How to Reclaim Your Sleep
Acknowledge sleep as the necessity it is
Instead of sleeping around work and play, the recommendation is working and playing around sleep. In 1900, people averaged 9 hours of sleep a night – today, the average has dropped to 6.8 hours a night.
Audit everything you’re required to do
- Take out a piece of paper and draw a blank 24-hour weekly schedule.
- Then enter all the things that are required of you. This does not include things you think you should or want to do. Time for proper amount of sleep should be considered required.
- Next, enter what’s important to you (this might mean exercise, downtime, play, connecting).
- Finally, see what’s left in terms of free time. If you have blank spaces, congratulations. If you don’t, or you don’t know how this could possibly be feasible, you’re not alone.
This can be difficult, but there are 168 hours a week. The secret is distinguishing between “must-dos” and “want-tos” or “should-dos,” and often we may need to alter our lifestyle (get creative or defer or give up some activities that are not technically essential), which is not often easy or popular. All you can do is the best you can and what you’re willing to do.
Take microbreaks.
Do your best to step away and take breaks throughout the day.
Observe a digital sunset daily.
Turn off all screens (iPads, laptops, TVs, cell phones) as early as possible—preferably hours before bed. Blue light interferes with melatonin, the hormone responsible for signaling readiness to sleep, and social media is hard to resist because it is designed to capture as much of our attention as possible.
Identify the persuader.
Be prepared for the internal voice that tries to talk you out of going to bed as advised. It values short term gain over long term perspective. It can be persuasive, and may tell yourself: “I work hard,” “I’ll just watch one more,” or “I can do that tomorrow”. Recognize these temptations that often arise when your willpower is low.
Wind down after work.
If you leave work and still feel “wired but tired” (common in the culture of restaurant work), give yourself some time to relax, and be intentional of transitioning from stimulation of work to what is hopefully a comfortable bedroom conducive to sleep.
Observe the 30-60 bedtime alert.
Set an alarm for 30 to 60 minutes before your actual bedtime. This gives you a transition period to “peel away” from attention-grabbers rather than trying to “push through” to the next video or text.
Establish environmental control in the bedroom.
Transform your bedroom into a true sleep sanctuary by making it a space reserved for rest—not work, studying or late-night screen time. Prioritize comfort, keep distractions out, and aim for a dark, cool environment (around 67°F or lower) to help your body naturally wind down. Small environmental tweaks can make a big difference in how quickly you fall asleep and how deeply you rest.
Be considerate of your “daytime self.”
Remember that the nighttime version of you is making decisions that affect the daytime version of you. Leaving your daytime self with “sleep baggage” is a form of self-neglect.
Practice basic “sleep hygiene.”
Sleep hygiene refers to the habits and routines that set you up for truly restorative rest. You can explore practical tips and learn more about all things sleep-related at the Sleep Foundation website.
Never miss two in a row.
If falling asleep without procrastinating feels impossible, try a simple rule: don’t miss two nights in a row. It gives you room to slip up while still building healthier habits and helps counter the powerful pull of revenge sleep procrastination.
Change your bedtime.
If you feel you want to change your bedtime to help with quality of sleep, consider doing it gradually – adjust to your new target bedtime by 15 minutes a night (earlier or later).
Reframe the term “revenge.”
Instead of “seeking revenge”, choose to gain some control over your schedule and emphasize kindness, reconciliation (between our AM and PM selves) and reward (restful, rejuvenating sleep … and all that comes with it)!
We are here for you! Pine Rest provides compassionate, world-class treatment at all care levels and for all ages.
