EAP: Mental Talk: Sleep Procrastination. Why Do People Delay On Going To Bed And How To Cope?

Have you ever been in a mood for scrolling on social media or watching TV shows till late at night and resisting the idea of going to bed? Are you putting off your sleep and suffering from low energy and concentration the next day?

The answers might be related to “sleep/night/bedtime procrastination.”

Though it may sound like a modern concept, this behavior is much more familiar to many of us than we want to admit. It describes a voluntary decision to reduce our sleep time to have more leisure time.

Sleep procrastination is a novel area of procrastination in the field of health behavior.

People who engage in sleep procrastination want to get enough sleep, but they actually postpone going to bed. Rather, they usually spend time in passive digital activities and media consumption like scrolling social media, watching videos, and browsing the internet.

This new concept in sleep science is often caused by having a rigid daily schedule lacking in free time for ourselves. It is a voluntary sleep deprivation that is associated with adverse effects on health and general well-being as our body can’t properly recharge.

Insufficient sleep affects our thinking, memory, and decision-making. It causes daytime sleepiness, low energy levels, and poor productivity and concentration.

In this workshop, we will uncover the psychology behind sleep procrastination and efficient strategies to prevent sleep deprivation.