The mediator role of routines on the relationship between general procrastination, academic procrastination and perceived importance of sleep and bedtime procrastination

Background: Sleep plays a key role in our overall function, and sleep insufficiency has been highlighted as a major health issue. ‘Bedtime procrastination’—i.e., needlessly delaying the time one goes to bed without external reasons—is one reason for sleep insufficiency. The present research aims to explore the interrelationships among Bedtime Procrastination, other domains of Procrastination, and routine-related variables. Methods: The mediating effects of Wake-up Time and Dinner Time on the relationship between Bedtime Procrastination and General Procrastination, Academic Procrastination, and Perceived Importance of Sleep were tested. Self-reported questionnaires were used, and the sample comprised of 446 university students. Results: A partial mediation model was found. General Procrastination, Academic Procrastination, and Perceived Importance of Sleep showed direct effects on Bedtime Procrastination. Moreover, Academic and General Procrastination were positively associated with Bedtime Procrastination, whereas Perceived Importance of Sleep was negatively associated with Bedtime Procrastination. Indirect effects of the Perceived Importance of Sleep and General Procrastination, as mediated by Wake-up Time and Dinner Time, on Bedtime Procrastination were also found. Conclusions: Personal routines (Wake-up Time and Dinner Time) along with individual characteristics (General and Academic Procrastination) and beliefs (perceived importance of sleep) may affect Bedtime Procrastination. Present results highlight the complexity of Bedtime Procrastination.
This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (CIPsi/UM) School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (UIDB/01662/2020). Additionally, this study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds (PTDC/PSI-GER/28302/2017) and cofinanced by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028302). This study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, through the national funds, within the scope of the Transitory Disposition of the Decree No. 57/2016, of 29th of August, amended by Law No. 57/2017 of 19 July. Beatriz Pereira and Andre Oliveira were supported by PhD studentships (SFRH/BD/143469/2019 and SFRH/BD/143471/2019, respectively) of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT; Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, I.P.), funded with allocations from the State Budget of the Ministry for Science, Technology and Higher Education and with allocations from the European Social Fund, to be made available under PORTUGAL 2020, namely through the North Regional Operational Program (NORTE 2020).