Long hours at work and a lack of control over one’s time increase the chances of late-night scrolling.
Published Feb 26, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 26, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Exposure to screen leads for long hours leads to sleep issues (Flickr, Creative Commons)
Synopsis: Freedom and claiming control over one’s own time in a situation where work and commitments leave next to no waking hours free; even relatively young people end up fatigued when spending long hours scrolling through social media in a bid to compensate for the lack of freedom during the workday.
“I know I should sleep, but those late-night hours feel like the only time I get for myself,” says 34-year-old Ranjani Raghavendra, a working mother juggling deadlines and household chores.
If you have ever found yourself scrolling endlessly through social media, binge-watching a series, or diving deep into YouTube at midnight – despite knowing full well you have an early morning ahead – you are not alone.
This habit has a name: revenge bedtime procrastination.
Speaking to South First, Dr Ashwini NV, psychologist and founder of Flourish Life School, based in Bengaluru, explains: “It’s essentially a psychological rebellion. When you feel your day isn’t truly yours – because of work, family responsibilities, or stress – you want to believe that it is your ‘take back’ time by delaying sleep, even when it’s detrimental to your health.”
Revenge bedtime procrastination (RBP) is a term that originated in China. Overworked individuals would reclaim personal time late at night, even at the cost of sleep.
Dr Ashwini explains that this phenomenon is not just about poor time management; it is also about control. Those in high-pressure jobs or caregiving roles get hardly any free time at all, and these quiet hours of the night offer a rare sense of freedom.
Long working hours in India are not confined only to those in “high-pressure” jobs or caregiving roles. An editorial page article in The Hindu on Monday, 24 February, by IIT professor Jayan Jose Thomas detailed the lives of workers in industrial units in North Indian towns, many of whom work about 12 hours a day.
A survey reportedly conducted by Saurashtra University’s psychology department recently revealed that 65 per cent of the 1,350 participants were affected by varying degrees of revenge bedtime procrastination.
For Ranjani, late nights are the only moments when she is not “someone’s mum, wife, or employee.” It is freedom that comes at a cost. “The next day, I am groggy and irritable, but I can’t seem to stop,” she admits to South First.
Dr Mahesh Gowda, clinical psychologist and cognitive behavioural therapy practitioner in Bengaluru, says this behaviour is driven by stressful work environments and packed schedules.
People trade sleep for personal leisure – often using mobile screens.
“The practice of seeking night-time relaxation through social media scrolling or video watching notably cuts into sleep time, resulting in chronic sleep deprivation and potential psychological and physical complications,” he says.
Psychologists explain that this habit can lead to “chronic sleep deprivation, heightened anxiety, and poor emotional regulation.”
Sleep debt can weaken cognitive function, lower immunity, and even increase the risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes, say doctors.
Dr Ashwini explains the triggers for revenge bedtime procrastination.
Sometimes, life is packed with obligations, stress, and so much work that staying up late becomes a subconscious attempt to regain autonomy.
“He or she feels that this is the only time in his or her control. To take revenge for the lack of control and own that time, people push off going to sleep until later into the night,” Dr Ashwini explains.
The easy accessibility of social media and its endless content all contribute to the addiction, explains Dr Mahesh. Social media, streaming platforms – especially Instagram – and even news apps make it easy to lose track of time.
Ironically, being tired can make decision-making even harder, says Dr Ashwini.
Santosh Nair, a 29-year-old software developer from Bengaluru, told South First, “After working 12-hour days, I feel like I deserve some downtime. I tell myself ‘just 10 more minutes’ – and then, suddenly, it’s 2 am!”
“For many, staying up late becomes the only way to feel human again,” says Dr Mahesh.
Doctors say it is important to set boundaries during the day – taking short breaks during work hours, reading, meditation, or gentle stretches. Even reading about 20 pages before falling asleep can help wind down.
Instead of just waking up with an alarm, doctors suggest that people set alarms for starting their wind-down routine as a reminder to sleep early.
In an earlier interview with South First, Dr Manoj Sharma of the SHUT clinic in NIMHANS Bengaluru, who sees patients with technology addiction, said, “Switching off devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime and ensuring that there is quality family time spent will help in getting a good night’s sleep.”
Dr Manoj Sharma adds: “It’s not about cutting off personal time; it is about carving it into your day intentionally.”
Short pauses during work hours can definitely help in relaxing and feeling that you have done something you wanted to do and not “just followed orders.”
Dr Mahesh adds: “If you find yourself scrolling endlessly at night, ask yourself: Am I enjoying this, or am I just stealing from tomorrow’s energy?”
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas)
