Your solution to sleep procrastination

Do you long for restful sleep that has you bouncing out of bed revved up and ready to go, but yet you find yourself hanging out on social media or binge-watching series each night long after you should be asleep? You’re not the only one! This behaviour is known as sleep procrastination.

Science has shown that insufficient sleep put you at increased risk for diabetes, weight gain, heart disease and stress. That means getting enough sleep should be your top priority. The good news is, we have a few helpful tips to kick sleep procrastination to the curb and ensure you get yourself off to bed at a reasonable hour.

5 solutions for sleep procrastination

1. Consider your coffee consumption. Caffeine sensitivity can emerge as you age and means that your post-dinner coffee, which used to be the perfect way to end a meal, could be encouraging your brain to wake up rather than calm down. Why not try a delicious glass of milk instead? Find out why milk is a better choice.
2. Leave or stop work at a reasonable time. This is especially important if you work from home. While those unavoidable deadlines are par for the course, take care that they remain within the boundaries you have put in place and don’t take over your life. Maintaining a work-life balance is essential to your mental well-being for long term productivity. Set a specific time to step away from work and close your laptop.
3. Treat the bedroom as a sanctuary and fill it with cosy items that promote peace and serenity. Whether you turn it into a spa with ambient lighting and soft music or surround yourself with aromatherapy candles and luxurious furnishings, when you make bedtime a pleasant experience, it will go a long way to encourage turning in for the night. In the morning, making your bed is an excellent start to ensuring you can get straight to bed after a long day.
4. Banish screens from the bed. Given how portable technology has become over the last few years, you might find yourself finishing off reports in bed, binge-watching high stakes series or scrolling social media while lying in bed. While you might think you’re winding down, using screens before bed can have the opposite effect. Blue light from screens has been shown to affect melatonin levels and delay sleepiness. Put devices away an hour before going to bed. This will go a long way in preventing you from getting lost in your screen time when you’re meant to be asleep.
5. Develop a bedtime routine. Human beings are creatures of habit and this can be beneficial when used in your favour. Just as parents do with a young baby, setting up a bedtime routine can train your brain into recognising specific actions and promote a night of deep and more restful sleep. When you start by setting a cut-off for screen time and follow that up with settling down with a good book, taking a shower, journaling, saying a prayer or some other restful pre-bedtime activity, your body will familiarise itself with the fact that bedtime is imminent and start winding down automatically, making it easier to get to sleep. Consistency is your key to success. While it may take a few days or weeks to take effect, sticking with the routine will pay dividends in the long run.

For more fun sleep facts and expert sleep advice, visit our Sleep Blog.