The Characterization of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination in Military Servicemembers

Most military servicemembers (SMs) struggle to obtain sufficient sleep. Research indicates that SMs work extended hours and delay their sleep in order to create time to engage in meaningful life activities. The purpose of this study was to characterize the occurrence of, and association between, role overload and revenge bedtime procrastination (RBP) in military SMs and to what extent these variables contribute to functional performance.

This study utilized a cross-sectional design to collect data from 393 SMs. Outcome measures included the Bedtime Procrastination Scale, the Work Role-Overload Scale, the Walter Reed Functional Impairment Scale (WRFIS), and the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ-10). This study was approved by the San Antonio Institutional Review Board (IRB #24-19390).

This study found that SMs who report higher levels of role overload also reported greater engagement in bedtime procrastination, and that both variables significantly predicted declines in functional performance as measured by the FOSQ-10 and the WRFIS.

Our findings suggest that RBP in SMs occurs as a byproduct of an imbalance between occupational demands and opportunities to participate in other life roles. Addressing sleep readiness in the military will be ineffective without leadership training, structural reforms, and policies that support optimizing work-life balance. Strengths of this study include the use of validated psychometric instruments and a substantial sample of active-duty SMs across all rank categories. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, which prevents causal inference, and the reliance on self-reported data, which may be influenced by recall bias or social desirability.