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In my head, revenge bedtime procrastination was not bad at all. It made more sense to stay up late than anything because it meant that I could do what I wanted to do. It was not until it took a toll on my sleep and mental health that those habits were the culprit, and I needed to change them.
The first day that I started staying up late felt like complete and utter bliss. And honestly, it felt that way for a couple more after. These are just a few of the highlights that I discovered.
Having a job can be quite stressful. Most full-time workers would work for 8.49 hours per day in 2023, but I sometimes felt like I was still thinking about projects even outside of office hours. Home also felt a little pressuring, with all the cooking and cleaning that needed to be done.
There was barely any breathing room throughout the day. Thus, I did all my destressing activities at night— I’d read, watch, write and do whatever I felt like doing. Afterward, I’d scroll through my phone past midnight until I was ready to pass out.
Revenge bedtime procrastination became quite a viral term on the internet. However, it originated from the Chinese expression “baofuxing aoye,” directly translating to retaliatory staying up late. It’s punishing your busy daytime schedule for not giving you rest.
That feeling resonated with me. The 16 out of 24 hours within the day or so, I was not in control of whatever I had to do. There were too many responsibilities, and staying up late gave me the autonomy to feel as if I was finally making a choice.
Aside from being in the driver’s seat, revenge bedtime procrastination felt good initially because it’s much more peaceful at night. The moon is out, and the overall ambience feels so much more relaxing than the chaos during the day.
To add, I’m an introvert. Introverts make up around 25% to 40% of the population. It sometimes feels like the night was just made for people like us because everyone is asleep, and you get to enjoy minimal company or just your presence.
After a week or so of staying up late for that revenge bedtime, the downsides started showing up. I feel like I paid quite the price for those extra hours with my sleep and mental health.
Sleep deprivation is something that’s inevitable and well-known about revenge bedtime procrastination. About 35% of all U.S. adults report sleeping less than seven hours per night on average. It felt like I was operating on a mere four hours or less.
The lack of sleep caused me to feel much more tired during the day. My work became much harder to focus on since my energy levels were depleted. Even simple household chores like cooking and cleaning started feeling like a haze.
Aside from feeling more tired, I feel like I started becoming a little more irritable. I would snap at the smallest thing and get discouraged when I made mistakes from zero alertness during the day. When night came, I was really happy and energetic because it was my leisure time.
The worst was when I started to feel more numb toward everything. It kind of happened after a week or so of revenge bedtime procrastination. I was operating on autopilot at work and home until something good or bad happened.
Stress and sleeping habits are essential. However, how they are can impact your outlook on life. I started looking at rest as a way to spite my daytime schedule more than what it’s actually supposed to be— a time to recuperate for the next day.
I knew deep down that a good night’s rest would make me feel better. But it was starting to feel like I was trapped in a cycle and had zero choice but to keep building up my sleep debt.
Revenge bedtime procrastination was becoming unsustainable as the nights went by, and it was imperative to stop as soon as possible. These strategies were the most helpful during that adjustment period.
I needed to start having a good bedtime routine that made sleeping much more exciting. Mindfully meditating for about 10 minutes lessens intrusive thoughts from anxiety. Putting my phone into the drawer rather than on my nightstand became a great habit. It discouraged me from grabbing it and doomscrolling which certainly helped with sleeping.
Think of work, chores, leisure and sleep as boxes in your calendar. You can designate different time frames for each box in your daily schedule without making the other an afterthought. It helps that the weekends are more free, so I tend to catch up on relaxing during that period. See what works for you and focus on not compromising your bedtime.
Peace and quiet can go beyond the night time if you have the right environment. I added a little soundproofing into my home so that I can still tune out most of what’s happening outside while in my bubble. I also found that catching natural light can increase your serotonin levels and regulate your circadian rhythm, so it worked to incorporate more sheer curtains.
A big root cause behind revenge bedtime procrastination was that I was overwhelmed with work. I started reassessing how many responsibilities I juggled and coordinating with others at the workplace. I learned to delegate what I could and asked for help. There were still a lot of stressful projects, but I felt more in control by then.
I had a moment of clarity regarding my sleep schedule when I talked about the situation with a friend. They told me to re-evaluate what was going on and that I should prioritize my sleep. Having a better support system in the form of family, friends and other medical professionals can make such a difference.
Would I stay up late again? Maybe once in a while. But at the end of the day, revenge bedtime procrastination can be too dangerous and addictive. It’s best to shift your outlook on handling your day-to-day and make way for a good night’s rest. Share this with a friend who can use these tips!
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