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Scrolling past your bedtime? How to break the revenge bedtime procrastination cycle and sleep better

  • Writer: Catherine Sargent
    Catherine Sargent
  • Mar 19
  • 3 min read

Ever found yourself sitting on the sofa, absolutely knackered... but instead of going to bed, you’re glued to your phone? Maybe you’re browsing online sales (because that 15% discount is too good to waste). Or you’re doomscrolling, caught up in the latest wave of bad news. Or maybe you’re just scrolling aimlessly through social media, watching videos you don’t even care about.


You only meant to check your phone for a few minutes. But suddenly, it's an hour later and you're wide awake, eyes locked on the screen, even though you know you’ll regret it in the morning.


This phenomenon has a name: revenge bedtime procrastination - when we stay up late to reclaim personal time we didn’t get during the day. It’s a quiet protest, a way of saying, I deserve this time for myself.


But here’s the rub: the very thing we turn to for relaxation - our phone - ends up making us feel worse. Instead of feeling rested, our energy is depleted further.[1] Instead of unwinding, we overstimulate ourselves. Instead of feeling in control of our time, we feel drained, frustrated and guilty for staying up too late again.


A tired-looking woman scrolling on her phone late at night
Photo by Dmitry Marchenko / Eye Em.

Why do we self-sabotage our sleep?


By the end of the day, our willpower is depleted and sleep feels like an obligation rather than a reward. Our phones, on the other hand, promise:


  • Endless entertainment - an infinite supply of content to scroll through.

  • The illusion of control - unlike a busy day at work or looking after kids, we decide how we spend this time.

  • An easy way to decompress - unlike reading or meditating, scrolling requires zero effort.


But the reality? Instead of helping us unwind, our phones keep us stuck in a cycle of late nights and tiredness:


  • Light tricks our brains – it suppresses melatonin, making it harder to feel sleepy.[2] Avoiding screens and dimming the lights helps prevent this.

  • Doomscrolling increases psychological distress – instead of winding down, we stay alert.[3]

  • Social media fuels fear of missing out (FOMO) – making it even harder to switch off.[4]


The result? We feel wired but tired, overstimulated but drained and even more likely to repeat the cycle the next night.


How to break the revenge bedtime procrastination cycle


  1. Use the "one-minute rule" – If you're tempted to scroll, do a non-digital activity for one minute first - stretching, deep breathing or even just sipping a cup of tea. Apps like One Sec can enforce this pause before opening an app,


  2. Make your phone harder to access – Set a bedtime mode or Do Not Disturb to activate automatically and remind you of your intention to stop scrolling by a certain time each night. Charge your device outside of the bedroom (or at least out of arm’s reach) to prevent in-bed scrolling.


  3. Redefine "me time" – What are non-digital ways that you can unwind? Reading a book, listening to music, journaling, a bubble bath - anything that you enjoy and which gets you off of a device will be more beneficial than scrolling before bed.


  4. Reframe sleep as self-care – Instead of seeing bedtime as the "end" of your free time, think of it as an investment in feeling better tomorrow and having more energy to do the things you value.


  5. Track your energy, not just sleep – Notice how different nighttime habits affect your mood and energy the next day. Journaling this for a week can make patterns more obvious and reveal what actually helps you recharge.


Breaking the cycle of revenge bedtime procrastination isn’t about willpower - it’s about creating habits that make rest feel just as rewarding as scrolling. What’s one small change you could try tonight?




 
 
 

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