Bedtime Procrastination Partially Mediates the Impact of Personality Characteristics on Daytime Fatigue Resulting From Sleep Deficiency

General procrastination and bedtime procrastination as serial mediators of the relationship between temporal perspective and sleep outcomes

Adequate and sufficient sleep is essential for good health, effective functioning, and well-being, yet recent trends show increasing sleep deprivation, especially among adolescents and young adults. General procrastination and bedtime procrastination understood as the tendency to delay going to bed without external pressure, may contribute to sleep deprivation and fatigue. This study investigated how individual differences in time perspective are related to sleep sufficiency and daytime fatigue, two different sleep outcomes. For these relationships, the possible role of an intermediate pathway leading through general procrastination and then through bedtime procrastination was also examined. Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, Irrational Procrastination Scale, Bedtime Procrastination Scale, and Sleep Inventory were completed online by 399 university students (89% females) between the ages of 19 and 27 (M = 21.7, SD = 1.83). Future time perspective predicted lower general procrastination, which in turn was associated with lower bedtime procrastination, and consequently higher sleep sufficiency and lower daytime fatigue. Past negative time perspective predicted higher general procrastination, which in turn was associated with higher bedtime procrastination and consequently lower sleep sufficiency and higher daytime fatigue. These findings suggest that time perspective, general procrastination and bedtime procrastination may play an important role in predicting sleep sufficiency and daytime fatigue.

The mediation role of sleep on the relationship between drinks behavior and female androgenetic alopecia

Objectives

To investigate the relationship between drinks behavior and female androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and to clarify the mediating effect of sleep behavior on such relationship.

Methods

A total of 308 female AGA patients and 305 female normal controls were recruited from the hospital, and questionnaires including drinks behavior and sleep behavior were inquired among them. Blood sugar and blood lipids were detected. Then, the mediating effect of sleep behavior on the relationship between drinks behavior and AGA was analyzed.

Results

Female AGA patients presented a higher frequency of intake of sweetened tea drinks. It was found that occasional intake (1-2 times per week; ORadj = 2.130, 95% CI [1.495-3.033]) and frequent intake (3-6 time per week; ORadj = 2.054, 95% CI [1.015-4.157]) of sweetened tea drinks were associated with AGA. The daily sugar intake from soft drinks increased the risk of AGA (ORadj = 1.025, 95% CI [1.003-1.048]), and hyperglycemia was positively associated with alopecia (ORadj = 1.897, 95% CI [1.225-2.936]). In addition, bedtime after 12 pm significantly increased the risk of developing alopecia (ORadj = 2.609, 95% CI [1.020-6.676]). Interestingly, bedtime, instead of daily sugar intake from soft drinks, could mediate the relationship between sweetened tea drinks intake and alopecia.

Conclusions

Sweetened tea drinks consumption increases the risk of female AGA, which is mediated by bedtime.

Examining the relationship between bedtime procrastination and personality traits in Chinese college students: the mediating role of self-regulation skills

Objective: Personality traits are commonly used to explain individual differences in procrastinatory behavior. This study aims to examine the relationship between bedtime procrastination (BP) and personality traits, and to understand the role of self-regulation skills in this relationship. Participants: We recruited 294 college students. Methods: Data were collected through standardized questionnaires to evaluate BP, personality traits, and self-control (a main indicator of self-regulation skills). Results: Correlation analysis showed that BP was positively correlated with the psychoticism and neuroticism dimensions of Eysenck's personality. Hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling analyses further revealed that psychoticism and neuroticism predicted BP directly and indirectly via self-control. Conclusions: BP has a significant relationship with Eysenck's personality traits, particularly, with some dimensions that directly and indirectly predict BP through self-regulation skills. Therefore, individualized intervention strategies based on personality traits and self-regulation skills should be integrated in measures used to reduce BP behaviors among college students.

Association of personality traits with dental visit procrastination by Japanese university students

BACKGROUND

Procrastination is a psychological trait that causes individuals to put off doing things that need to be done. It has recently shown to result in the worsening of symptoms due to delays in seeking medical care. However, it is not clear how perception of dental disease influences dental visits. This study examined the associations of procrastination and personality traits with delayed dental visits for both acute and chronic conditions.

METHODS

Of 599 university students queried, the data of 549 subjects (mean age 19.7 years) were analyzed. A general procrastination scale (GPS), the Big Five personality traits, and oral hygiene habits were used for analysis. The participants were asked about illness awareness conditions related to dental disease, perception of pain in the oral region due to acute oral symptoms and chronic symptoms. The participants were asked the number of days until they decided that treatment was required. Based on the bimodal shape of the distribution, those who answered at least eight days for acute or chronic conditions were classified as the procrastination (P) group and the others as the non-procrastination (Non-P) group.

RESULTS

Significant differences in GPS scores were found between the groups for both acute and chronic conditions, with significant differences in the Big Five traits of extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism for an acute condition and extraversion, openness, and neuroticism for a chronic condition. There were no significant differences regarding oral hygiene habits between the groups for either condition. Next, using a Bayesian network, the probabilistic causal relations among procrastination, the Big Five traits, and delays in dental visits for both acute and chronic conditions were analyzed. Among the Big Five traits, conscientiousness and neuroticism were directly related to GPS score. Interestingly, agreeableness was directly related to delays in dental visits only for an acute condition and showed a negative effect, while dental student status had a positive effect on delays in dental visits.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that procrastination and dentistry department are factors that directly influence delays in dental visits, while agreeableness, a Big Five trait, has a negative effect on individuals with an acute condition.

The Effect of Trait Anxiety on Bedtime Procrastination: the Mediating Role of Self-Control

BACKGROUND

Bedtime procrastination (BP), a special type of health behavior procrastination, is considered to be a failure of self-control. Notably, self-control may mediate the effect of trait anxiety on general procrastination. However, there is no evidence demonstrating the role of self-control in the relationship between trait anxiety and BP. Moreover, the association between BP and trait anxiety has not yet been thoroughly studied. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the direct relationship between them as well as the mediating role of self-control in this relationship.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey included 718 college students enrolled in Chinese universities between October 2018 and January 2020. The Chinese versions of the Bedtime Procrastination Scale, the Self-Control Scale, and the Trait Anxiety Inventory were used to evaluate BP, self-control, and trait anxiety, respectively.

RESULTS

Multiple linear regression analysis revealed trait anxiety independently predicted BP while controlling for demographic characteristics. Correlation analyses showed that BP was positively correlated with trait anxiety, but negatively related to self-control. Structural equation modeling further revealed a mediating role of self-control in the relationship between trait anxiety and BP.

CONCLUSIONS

Trait anxiety is a significant independent predictor of BP and may induce BP directly or indirectly through the effect of self-control. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between trait anxiety and BP and the underlying mechanism by exploring the mediating effect of self-control. As such, trait anxiety and self-control should be included in prevention and intervention strategies to address BP behavior in college students.

Factors influencing bedtime procrastination in junior college nursing students: a cross-sectional study

Background

Sleep quality is related to physical and mental health. Though bedtime procrastination has been identified as a potentially key source of poor sleep quality, related research is scarce. The goal of our study was to determine bedtime procrastination among nursing students and identify its influencing factors.

Methods

This cross-sectional study comprised 1827 junior college nursing students. The data were collected from November to December 2021 using a mobile app-based survey. We evaluated demographic factors, Big Five personality traits, self-regulatory fatigue, future time perspective, and problematic mobile phone use. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify independent characteristics that influence bedtime procrastination among junior college nursing students.

Results

The mean bedtime procrastination score in junior college nursing students was 25.11 ± 6.88. Family monthly income of 3000–6000 RMB (β = 0.740; p = 0.015), as well as that of > 6000 RMB (β = 1.708; p = 0.001), and an extroverted personality (β = 0.225; p = 0.001), self-regulatory fatigue (β = 0.135; p < 0.001), and problematic mobile phone use (β = 0.078; p < 0.001) had significant positive effects on bedtime procrastination. Conscientious personality (β = − 0.284; p = 0.003), neurotic personality (β = − 0.203; p = 0.031), and future time perspective (β = − 0.141; p < 0.001) had significant negative effects on bedtime procrastination.

Conclusion

The nursing students who participated in this study had moderate levels of bedtime procrastination. Bedtime procrastination was predicted by higher monthly household income; personality traits of extroversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism; self-regulatory fatigue; future time perspective; and problematic mobile phone use.

Practical implications

We recommend that effective measures are needed to help alleviate bedtime procrastination and improve the health and well-being of nursing students.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-022-00881-7.