Having examined more than 2,400 people, Dutch psychologists found out: 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 make a tough decision to go to bed at a well-defined time.
This was not due to the fact that people did not want to sleep. On the contrary, many of the experimental patients admitted that by the evening they tumble down and feel sleepy during the day, and this seriously affects their mood and productivity. But something prevented them from going to bed in time in the evenings.
Procrastination before bedtime can and must be overcome, otherwise, the lack of sleep associated with it can seriously harm your career and lower the quality of life in general. Researchers offer several ways.
1. If you’re a night owl, don’t follow the biorhythm on your weekend
Of course, the temptation to spend the whole night from Friday to Saturday, and then from Saturday to Sunday is very significant, because you can get enough sleep in the morning. However, such partying is confusing for your body.
In order not to suffer from procrastination before bedtime, and then from lack of sleep during the day, it is important to observe a sleep regimen even on the weekend.
2. Track your behavior throughout the day
If the day turned out to be difficult, you have more than once had to pull yourself together and give up something pleasant (chocolate cake for dessert during the lunch break, the temptation to postpone the hard work for tomorrow, offers to sit with colleagues in the bar instead of training), then evening decline of self-control is almost inevitable. Be prepared for this. And still, try to find the strength in yourself to make the last leap for today and go to bed in time.
3. Transfer the routine tasks that you perform before bedtime to another time
Often between wakefulness and sleeping, there are a number of responsibilities. For example, walking a dog, washing clothes, folding things, washing dishes, washing and brushing your teeth. You would like to go to bed, but so lazy to do things from the obligatory nightly list that you unconsciously delay the process.
A good solution is to carry out part of the duties at another time, not at bedtime. For example, you can wash the dishes and brush your teeth immediately after dinner. And walk your pet before dinner. The organization of things, in general, to move in the morning. So you lower the height of the barrier that separates you from sleep. And in time to send yourself to bed will become easier.
4. Use rituals to improve sleep quality
There are a number of recommendations that allow you to pre-configure the body to sleep.
Arrange a gadget “curfew”: put off your smartphone, laptop, TV remote control at least an hour and a half before the planned hang-up. Dim the light. Ventilate the house and, if possible, lower the temperature in it to 60–75 °F. Take a hot bath and drink hot tea. When it’s cool outside and warm inside, we start to fall asleep. This is physiology. Use it to achieve the desired result.
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