Thread by @WIRED

It's late, you're tired, you know you should go to bed, and yet you continue to doomscroll deep into the night. Why? You’re procrastinating.

That may seem obvious, but there are deeper factors at play 1/ wired.trib.al/f4R8Avt

Sleep procrastination was first introduced in a 2014 study, which defined the act as “failing to go to bed at the intended time, while no external circumstances prevent a person from doing so.” Since the onset of the pandemic, it’s been dubbed revenge bedtime procrastination 2/

The phenomena is common in people who feel they don’t have control over how they spend their day (such as those in high-stress occupations) and, driven by a sense of retaliation, are looking for a way to regain some personal time 3/

Some researchers have also argued that a lack of self-regulation—associated with being impulsive or easily distracted—is a possible cause of sleep procrastination. In this case, the minutes before bed may be the only time to process the emotional backlog from the day 4/

And there's a lot to process right now. To conquer sleep procrastination, try a power-down hour from sleep specialist Michael Breus:

The first 20 minutes are for things that need to be done.
The second 20 minutes are for hygiene.
The final 20 minutes are for relaxation 5/

By breaking up the last hour before bed, you’re taking charge of your health with a routine and managing any suppressed emotions from the day.

Brimming with energy from a full night’s rest, you can tackle the next day head-on (no revenge needed) 6/ wired.trib.al/f4R8Avt