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What is bedtime procrastination (and "revenge bedtime procrastination")?

Short answer: Bedtime procrastination means going to bed later than you intended even though nothing is stopping you. A survey study that introduced the term found it was linked with lower self-control and with getting too little sleep. "Revenge bedtime procrastination" is a popular name for staying up late to win back free time after a busy day.[1]

By Seth Richardson, Founder of ProcrastiGauge · Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · Based on published research (sources below)

Key facts

  • Definition: going to bed later than intended with no outside reason
  • Linked with: lower self-regulation and insufficient sleep
  • "Revenge" version: a popular term, not a research term

The details

In the 2014 study of 177 adults, people who scored lower on self-regulation reported more bedtime procrastination, and bedtime procrastination predicted insufficient sleep even after accounting for other factors.

The "revenge" version is a social media term, not a research one, but the pattern is the same: scrolling or watching one more episode feels good tonight, and you pay for it tomorrow.

Helpful steps are to set a planned bedtime, start winding down earlier, and keep your phone out of bed. Checking in at night with ProcrastiGauge gives you a natural end-of-day moment: review the day, plan tomorrow's first task, then put the phone down.

Limits of the evidence. This was a single online survey with self-reported sleep, so it shows associations rather than causes.
How ProcrastiGauge helps. ProcrastiGauge's nightly check-in takes about a minute and ends by planning tomorrow, which makes a clear "the day is done" moment. Its wellbeing questions ask whether you slept enough. Try ProcrastiGauge free for 7 days.

Try ProcrastiGauge free for 7 days

A one-minute check-in every night: a score out of 100, what lifted or held back your day, one specific change for tomorrow and a streak that keeps you consistent. Android and web, in English and Spanish.

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Related questions

Sources

  1. Kroese, F. M., De Ridder, D. T. D., Evers, C., & Adriaanse, M. A. (2014). Bedtime procrastination: Introducing a new area of procrastination. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 611. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00611Online survey of 177 adults.