Vanessa Hill

So a lot of people would say things like, you know,

It was 10 o'clock and I just started wondering, how are the pyramids made?

And then I started watching videos on ancient Egypt and then all of a sudden it was 2am.

So people were talking about that.

Some people were talking about how they, for example, exist in a society where they can't express all parts of their identity.

And then they can watch videos, join online communities in the late hours of the night to...

I thought that was really interesting.

This behavior of procrastinating your bedtime, we think, may be more common in people who are new parents, in people who have ADHD, in people who...

are new workers, so who have started new careers, where they may not have as much autonomy as people who may be middle-late career.

So it's really interesting to consider the populations and the people who may be more likely to procrastinate going to bed.

In the study we did, which was the interview-based study, when we spoke to people, there was one person who we spoke to who I identified as queer.

And they said that in my job every day, I can't really tell people about this.

I feel like I can't talk to people about this, but I just need a space where I can be part of my community.

And whatever the need or community or interest is, often our days are so busy, are so packed with work and caregiving and appointments and all of the other things that we need to do.

This time before bed or when perhaps we should be in bed, whatever should means, is the time that people have to actually explore that.

And something that I grapple with as a sleep researcher is that the guidelines say don't use technology 60 minutes before you go to bed, right?

That's what's put out from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

There are reasons that these guidelines exist, but people don't follow them.

Because this time, 60 minutes before we go to sleep, is often the only time we have to be a part of those communities, to explore those interests.

And these other things are also important for our well-being, right?