How Bedtime Boredom Affects Your Sleep Quality

Does your mind wander and procrastinate in the late hours of the night? You may have bedtime procrastination, which significantly affects the quality of your sleep and long term health.

In a new study, 270 participants completed the Bedtime Procrastination Scale and Groningen Sleep Quality Scale, finding that those who showed characteristics of boredom such as fidgeting and mind wandering were more likely to have poor sleep quality.

To cope with boredom, people generally engage in irrelevant tasks and mind wander, which in turn delays their bedtime and reduces sleep quality. Poor sleep quality can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The good news is that bedtime procrastination can be minimized by re-establishing good habits. If you think you may be putting off your sleep due to procrastination, set yourself more time to unwind and relax, and avoid caffeine, loud noises and bright lights 2 hours before your desired bedtime. It is also recommended to practice mindfulness to improve your attention and reduce wandering thoughts.

Adjusting your night time routine will not only improve your sleep quality but reduce your risk of long term health problems.

The CPAP Clinic has a network of 40 clinics nationwide, and works in partnership with Centurion Healthcare, a Respiratory & Sleep Specialist clinic group to provide comprehensive sleep care including:

1. Respiratory & Sleep Specialist consultation – face-to-face and telehealth available 2. Sleep studies – in-lab, home and contactless sleep studies available.

Bulk billing available for specialist telehealth consultations as well as sleep studies. Medicare criteria apply. Call 1300 76 29 39 or email info@thecpapclinic.com.au for more information.