Bedtime procrastination is a frustrating occurrence that affects so many of us. You can read about the psychology behind the phenomenon here: WHY DO WE PROCSRATINATE AT BEDTIME?

Here are some tricks you can implement to kick your bedtime procrastination. 

Change your environment

One of the best ways to kick bedtime procrastination is to make your bedroom, and especially your bed, a place where you sleep. You can accomplish this by ensuring that you work in an office, dining room, or living room. Get all your important tasks done before bed, so you aren’t kept worrying about them. Treat your bedroom like an oasis, and you will be much more likely to get in bed and fall asleep right away. 

It’s also important to make sure your bedroom is the best environment possible for sleep. For example, light is the best indicator to our body that it’s time to sleep. Ensure your bedroom is dark, at a good temperature, and comfortable so your body wants to sleep. 

Stick to a routine

Similarly, you want to make sure your routine before bed is consistent and encourages sleep. Over time, your body will learn that your routine means it’s time to sleep. NPR recommends creating a sleep alarm if you tend to lose track of time in the evenings. 

READ MORE: HOW TO WIND DOWN FOR THE BEST NIGHT’S SLEEP

Narrow your to-do list

You should narrow your to-do list and say “No!” to unnecessary tasks to carve out time for yourself. If you can’t limit your list, move your schedule around, so you don’t necessarily have to do these tasks at night. Saying “no” will lessen the feeling of needing to reclaim your time in the evening after a long work day. 

Make time for you

Narrowing your to-do list is key to ensuring you have time for yourself, but this is pointless if you don’t take care of yourself. Sometimes the best way to do this is by scheduling. Add some self-care activities to your schedule, and if possible, do it in the evening. Relaxing before bedtime will do wonders for your sleep health!

Turn off devices

While this isn’t the only culprit behind bedtime procrastination, it’s the biggest one. Your phone makes it so easy to “doomscroll” for hours in bed. Even worse, blue light from your phone and TV can signal to your brain that it’s still daytime and you aren’t ready for bed. You can set limits for how long you can be on your phone at night or not use your phone past a certain time. This can help kick procrastination and get your sleep hygiene in check! 

If you have severe sleep issues, it may be time to contact us for a sleep study. https://advancedhomecareonline.com/contact/