Procrastination is something a lot of us struggle with, even when it comes to going to sleep. It’s called bedtime procrastination and it’s when you delay or postpone going to bed, even though you know it’s time to go. Many of us do it because we feel like we don’t have enough time during the day, so we’re trying to make up for it at bedtime, and our sleep is suffering because of it.
Bedtime procrastination may feel good in the moment, but in the morning? We always regret it. One of the most common things we do when avoiding sleep is pick up their phone, with research showing 42% of people scroll on social media in the hour before sleeping.
Sleep expert Sammy Margo explains, “Falling down the TikTok ‘rabbit hole’ before bed messes with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, leaving you tossing and turning instead of enjoying restorative sleep.” If you’re a bedtime procrastinator, these are the tips sleep experts recommend to kick the habit and actually get the sleep you need.
- Set a bedtime alarm - This will remind you to start winding down for bed. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to do your relaxing evening routine that will calm your body and mind and get you ready to snooze.
- Limit blue light exposure before bed - Experts advise avoiding electronics for at least an hour before bed, but we all know how tough that can be. Sleep specialist Dr. Hana Patel suggests that even switching your phone to dark mode or lowering its brightness can help, but she says turning your device off completely is best.
- Keep gadgets out of your bedroom - If you can leave your phone in another room or on the other side of your bedroom, you’ll be less tempted to pick it up. And the same goes for your laptop.
- Switch up your bedside table - Instead of your phone, add some sleep aid essentials, like a night light, a book to read to wind down, and a pillow spray in a soothing scent, like lavender.
Source: Yahoo