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Sleep

When your brain takes revenge at bedtime

Late-night procrastination can quietly erode sleep — and your health. Here's how to break the cycle.

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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Revenge bedtime procrastination involves sacrificing sleep to prioritize personal time for activities unrelated to the demands of work or caregiving. Short-term effects of insufficient quality sleep time include next-day fatigue and negative mood. Persistent sleep deprivation can increase risks of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia.

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About the Author

photo of Maureen Salamon

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Maureen Salamon is the executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She also writes for the Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Heart Letter, and Harvard Men’s Health Watch, as well as for Harvard Health Publishing’s flagship website. … See Full Bio
View all posts by Maureen Salamon

About the Reviewer

photo of John Winkelman, MD, PhD

John Winkelman, MD, PhD, Contributor

Dr. John Winkelman is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and chief of the sleep disorders clinical research program in the department of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Winkelman received his PhD in … See Full Bio
View all posts by John Winkelman, MD, PhD
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