Mindfulness is Associated with Better Sleep Quality in Young Adults by Reducing Boredom and Bedtime Procrastination

ABSTRACT

Objective

Bedtime procrastination is a relatively new topic of research and has been found to compromise sleep. Researchers have studied the predictors, but only a few studies have focused on the ways to reduce bedtime procrastination. Mindfulness, a novel variable in this research area, may shed some light on how to decrease bedtime procrastination. This study examined a serial mediation model and hypothesized that the relationship between mindfulness and better sleep quality would be serially mediated by lower levels of boredom and bedtime procrastination.

Methods

This study employed a correlational approach and recruited a sample of 220 participants aged between 17 and 30 (M = 20.34 years, SD = 2.86). In the Qualtrics online survey, participants completed a series of questionnaires measuring mindfulness, boredom, bedtime procrastination, and sleep quality.

Results

The analyses provided support for our serial mediation model. Mindfulness predicted a lower level of boredom, which in turn predicted a lower level of bedtime procrastination and subsequently better sleep quality.

Conclusion

Our findings highlighted the role of mindfulness in curbing bedtime procrastination, setting a foundation for future research on the interventions for sleep issues associated with bedtime procrastination. We discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The dataset analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethics approval

The study obtained an ethics approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of James Cook University (approval number: H8331). All participants provided informed consent prior to completing the survey.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.