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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
08:36
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Association of procrastination on eveningness and sleep problems
Masumi Osao1, Yuta Takano2, Yoko Komada3
1Yoyogi Sleep Disorder Center, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Somnology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Sleep Medicine
|July 18, 2026
Summary
Procrastination is independently linked to poor sleep quality. This connection is partly explained by eveningness tendency, particularly in individuals without ADHD traits.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Sleep Medicine
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Procrastination is linked to adverse outcomes like sleep disturbance.
- The independent association between procrastination and sleep disturbance, considering confounding factors, is unclear.
- The potential mediating role of chronotype in this relationship requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if procrastination is independently associated with sleep disturbance.
- To examine the mediating role of chronotype in the procrastination-sleep disturbance relationship.
- To explore whether ADHD traits influence this association.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional web-based survey of 2971 adults (18-59 years).
- Validated self-report measures for procrastination, sleep disturbance (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), chronotype (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire), and ADHD traits (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale).
- Multiple regression and mediation analyses (bootstrapping) adjusted for demographics, lifestyle, sleep hygiene, and ADHD traits.
Main Results:
- Procrastination showed a significant direct association with greater sleep disturbance (effect size 0.43).
- An indirect association was found through eveningness tendency (effect size 0.07).
- Mediation by eveningness was significant in participants without ADHD traits but not in those with ADHD traits.
Conclusions:
- Procrastination is independently associated with sleep disturbance.
- Eveningness tendency partially mediates the relationship between procrastination and sleep disturbance.
- ADHD traits may modulate the pathway connecting procrastination to sleep disturbance, highlighting the role of behavioral and circadian factors.
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