Americans sacrifice sleep for ‘me time’ nearly four nights a week

Americans lose over 300 hours of sleep per year to “revenge bedtime procrastination,” according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 Americans revealed the vast majority of respondents (96%) are guilty of this — where they intentionally stay up late to enjoy personal time, even knowing it will negatively affect their sleep.

Respondents have a “revenge bedtime” every other night (3.5 times per week), on average, staying up roughly an hour and 50 minutes later than usual each time. This results in respondents losing about 332 hours of sleep per year.

Commissioned by Avocado Green Mattress and conducted by Talker Research, the survey looked at why respondents are choosing to stay up late — and the impact this has on their sleep, as well as their overall health.

Sixty-three percent of respondents said nighttime is the only time they have for themselves, which might explain the most common uses of this late night time.

Respondents were most likely to admit to staying up late to have time for hobbies (36%) or take the opportunity for alone time (35%).

They’re also intentionally staying up late because they’re in a “scrolling rabbit hole” (34%), or simply because they enjoy nighttime (33%). And a fifth feel too worked up from the day’s events (21%) or need to stay up in order to get things done (19%).

But two-thirds (66%) of respondents who intentionally stay up past their regular bedtime admitted they do so knowing it’ll negatively affect their sleep.

When staying up past their regular bedtime, whether intentionally or unintentionally, it takes respondents three days to get back on schedule — which might be why 42% “always” or “often” regret staying up late.

“Life is busy, especially around the New Year,” said Laura Scott, director of brand marketing at Avocado Green Mattress. “It can be tempting to stay up late, indulging in a ‘revenge bedtime,’ to spend time on hobbies or have a minute to yourself, but this can easily lead to negative consequences as sleep — good or bad — can have major impacts on our health. Having a consistent sleep schedule has wide range of benefits for overall wellness.”

Three-quarters of respondents are aware that their sleep is tied to their health, and 51% said even one bad night of sleep is enough to negatively impact their health.

When they have a bad night of sleep, respondents are more likely to be irritable (52%) the next day and are more likely to feel stressed (48%). Not only that, but over four in 10 (44%) also admitted their mental health is more likely to suffer after a bad night’s sleep.

Respondents are also more likely to eat poorly (29%) after not sleeping well, are less likely to exercise the next day           (28%) — and they’re more likely to have bad sleep in the following nights (28%), showing the connection between sleep and health.

To avoid these negative consequences, 73% of respondents are actively trying to improve their sleep in 2026 — including reducing their nights of “revenge bedtime procrastination.”

Respondents are trying to be more consistent with their bedtime (45%) and have an earlier bedtime (43%), rather than intentionally stay up late.

“Getting a good night’s rest not only helps with the obvious, like reducing tiredness the next day, but it can help with mental health and make it easier to make healthy choices — like eating well and exercising,” said Scott. “It’s wonderful to see that people are planning to improve their sleep in 2026; resolutions can be expensive and time-consuming, but making small changes for a better night’s sleep can be a more attainable goal for many Americans.”

AMERICANS’ SLEEP RESOLUTIONS FOR 2026

• Going to bed at a consistent time every day — 45%
• Going to bed earlier — 43%
• Spending less time on screens in the evening — 39%
• Waking up at a consistent time every day — 33%
• Exercising more throughout the day — 29%
• Not eating in the hours before I go to bed — 28%
• Meditating/taking time to relax before bed — 26%
• Taking supplements or sleep aids — 21%
• Taking well-planned naps throughout the week — 15%
• Talking to my doctor about any changes I need to make — 15%

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Avocado Green Mattress and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Dec. 10–15, 2025. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.