Bed Time Procrastination and Maternal Mental Health in New Mothers: The Mediating Role of Bedtime Procrastination Between Sleep Quality and Psychological Distress.

Abstract

Introduction: This research aimed to investigate the connections between postpartum women's delay in going to bed, the quality of their sleep, and mental health markers such as stress, anxiety, and depression. It investigated whether bedtime procrastination mediates the link between poor sleep quality and psychological distress, and explored potential age-related differences.

Materials and Methods: Forty-nine postpartum mothers (aged 26–39 years, 1–4 months postpartum) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and a statistical survey. The following statistical methods were used to examine the data: mediation analysis, multiple regression, descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and pearson correlations.

Results: The mean BPS score was 26.94 (SD = 4.12), indicating moderate bedtime procrastination. DASS-21 scores reflected moderate levels of depression (M = 15.53 ± 3.31), anxiety (M = 13.41 ± 3.05), and stress (M = 22.18 ± 3.61). 50% of participants had poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5). There was a positive correlation between delaying bedtime (r = 0.45, p < 0.05), anxiety (r = 0.42, p < 0.05), and stress (r = 0.48, p < 0.01), as well as each other. According to the results of the mediation study, putting off going to bed until later in the day somewhat mediated the connection between low-quality sleep and psychological consequences in all three areas. The mediation effect accounted for approximately 33.3% of the total effect for anxiety, 33.3% for stress, and 32.5% for depression, with all indirect effects being statistically significant (p = 0.018, 0.020, and 0.028 respectively). Younger mothers (26–31 years) reported slightly higher bedtime procrastination, though the difference was not statistically significant.

Discussion: Bedtime procrastination is associated with poorer maternal mental health in the postpartum period and partially explains the pathway from disrupted sleep to increased psychological distress. Interventions targeting bedtime self-regulation may help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among new mothers..