Why do we not go to bed, even if we need to and really want to

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Two reasons that make it difficult to get yourself into bed on time, as well as four ways to overcome them.

What is bedtime procrastination

It may seem that this problem is not a problem at all. Well, think about it, sat on the Internet until nightfall or decided by all means to watch the next episode of your favorite TV series. It's okay, tomorrow I will definitely go to bed at ten (eleven, midnight)!

The trouble is, your promises to yourself will most likely not be fulfilled. Procrastination before bed - as scientists call delays before a planned rest - is a massive and repetitive situation.

After examining more than 2,400 people, Dutch psychologists found out Why Don’t You Go to Bed on Time? A Daily Diary Study on the Relationships between Chronotype, Self-Control Resources and the Phenomenon of Bedtime Procrastination: 53% of them went to bed later than planned, on an ongoing basis - at least twice a week. And they continued to suffer from procrastination even when they seemed to have made a tough decision to go to bed at a clearly defined time.

This was not due to the fact that people did not want to. On the contrary, many of the test subjects admitted that they fell off their feet in the evening, and during the day they felt sleepy, and this seriously affects mood and productivity. But something prevented them from going to bed on time in the evenings.

Researchers tried to establish what these reasons are. And they came to the following conclusions.

What keeps us from going to bed

The researchers analyzed the profiles of all the volunteers who participated in the study to find those features that would unite procrastinators and were not present in people who went to bed on time. There were two such features.

1. Chronotype of an owl

At least at the beginning of the work week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - owls are more likely to be procrastinated before going to bed than early risers. Trying to explain this fact, the researchers put forward this version. Owls sleep well on weekends, and therefore simply do not understand why go to bed early on the first weekdays of the week. Their body, accustomed to prolonged night gatherings and late waking up over the weekend, cannot quickly rebuild.

At the same time, early risers, who traditionally wake up and go to bed early, have no problem going to bed. Their daily routine does not change either on weekends or on weekdays.

2. Reduced level of self-control

“I controlled myself too much during the day. Now I need the opportunity to relax without looking at the clock, - this is how many explain their procrastination before going to bed. Scientists call this depletion of reserves.

The more temptations a person has to resist during the day, the harder he has to control himself during working hours, the higher the likelihood that he will procrastinate in the evening, postponing sleep.

How to go to bed at the scheduled time

Procrastination before bedtime can and should be overcome, otherwise the associated lack of sleep can seriously harm your career and lower the quality of life in general. Researchers suggest several ways.

1. If you are an owl, do not follow the biorhythms on the weekends

Of course, the temptation to screw up all night from Friday to Saturday, and then from Saturday to Sunday, is very significant, because in the morning you can sleep off. However, such parties confuse your body.

In order not to suffer from procrastination before bed, and then from lack of sleep during the day, it is important to stay asleep even on the weekend.

2. Track your behavior throughout the day

If the day turned out to be difficult, more than once you had to pull yourself together and give up something pleasant (chocolate cake for dessert during lunchtime, the temptation to postpone difficult work until tomorrow, offers to sit with colleagues in a bar instead of training), then the evening decline self-control is almost inevitable. Be prepared for this. And try to still find the strength to make the last breakthrough for today and go to bed on time.

3. Reschedule routine tasks that you do before bedtime to another time

Often there are a number of responsibilities between the wakefulness and the pillow. For example, walking the dog, doing the laundry, folding things, washing the dishes, washing and brushing your teeth. You would like to go to bed, but you are so lazy to do things from the obligatory nightly list that you unknowingly postpone the process.

A good solution is to do some of the responsibilities at a different time than before bed. For example, you can wash the dishes and brush your teeth right after dinner. Walk your pet - up. Transfer the organization of things to the morning. This will lower the barrier that separates you from sleep. And it will become easier to send yourself to bed in time.

4. Use rituals to improve sleep quality

There are a number of recommendations to help you tune your body to sleep in advance.

Arrange a "curfew" in relation to gadgets: put aside your smartphone, laptop, TV remote control at least an hour and a half before the planned lights out. Dim the lights. Ventilate the house and, if possible, reduce the temperature to 16–24 ° C. Take a hot bath and sip hot tea. When it's cool outside and warm inside, we start to feel sleepy. This is physiology. Use it to achieve the desired result.