Are you choosing social media instead of sleep?

We’ve all done it. Vow to go to bed earlier and then spend an hour surfing Netflix or haunting our friend’s Facebook pages before we nod off to sleep. Researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands believe this modern tech trend, bedtime procrastination, may be more harmful and more widespread than previously believed.

Procrastination is defined as the voluntary delay of an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay. It usually involves wasting time to avoid unsavory tasks but sleep hasn’t traditionally fallen into this category. The results of the study, published in Frontiers in Psychology don’t paint a rosy picture for our sleep deprived culture. Maybe it’s time to set our alarms for bedtime instead of waking up…

Simple solutions to sleep procrastination

Thanks to portable technology and a 24/7 tether to the internet, social media and work emails, it’s more difficult for us to get much needed pillow-time. If you’re having trouble shutting your brain off, these expert sources might help. Please note: you still have to be the one turn off the phone and just go to bed. Just saying…

• 9 tips for getting a good night’s sleep: Sleep helps renew your body every night in preparation for the next day. Try these tips to help return to a restful, healing sleep. Read more on PsychCentral.com.
• Create a sleep spa at home: Sleep spas are the newest thing with the spa-goer set. It might be a fad or maybe it’s due to our overwhelming sleep deprived culture. We love that sleep spas offer sanctuary from the busy-ness of our lives, forcing us to slow down, disconnect and rest. Read more on the Restonic Sleep Blog.
• Follow a sleep routine: Bedtime should be a calm time. Keep your surroundings quiet and restful. Reserve your bed for sleeping, and keep the room dark, quiet, cool, and distraction-free. Keep regular sleep hours. Ban your computer and TV from the bedroom. Read more on WebMD.com.
• Yoga Asanas for healthy sleep: Minor sleep troubles are common and the fix may be easier than you imagine – some simple yoga poses designed to relax the body and prepare it for sleep. Practicing these yoga postures will keep your mind at peace and allow you to slip into deep slumber with a whole lot of sweet dreams. Read more on the Restonic Sleep Blog.
• Napping for the biggest brain benefits: Napping can be great! But sometimes when you wake up after a nap, you feel groggy and almost as if you are more tired now than you were before taking the nap. Why does this happen? Learn how to nap better on CollectiveEvolution.com.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a shocking 1/3 of adults sleep less than 6 hours a night on a regular basis. While sleep needs vary from person to person, the National Sleep Foundation recommends between 7 and 9 hours every night for optimal health.

If lack of sleep has become your new frienemy (someone you think is a friend but hurts more than she helps), it’s time to seek professional help. Find a Sleep Doctor near you.