People Who Look Forward To Bedtime Pretty Much All Day Usually Have These 11 Distinct Traits
WOSUNAN | Shutterstock Some people live for the weekend while others get through work by looking forward to their next vacation. However, there's another group of often exhausted, overstimulated people who look forward to bedtime pretty much all day who usually have certain distinct traits that set them apart from the rest. But in our "hustle culture" that tends to praise burnout, it's not surprising that more people are adopting this daily mentality.
They're living for bedtime, and their daily habits and routines remind people of that. From being sensitive people who are easily overstimulated to taking on more than they can handle at work, they're quickly exhausted by waking hours and fantasizing about sleeping with the chaos of the world tuned out.
People who look forward to bedtime pretty much all day usually have these 11 distinct traits
1. They're emotionally sensitive
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According to a study from Scientific Reports, many highly sensitive people aren't just tuned into other people's emotions, with a tendency to adopt the feelings of others as if they're their own. They also get easily overstimulated by other sensory information. From an "open office" concept full of distractions at work to a stressful, always-busy household, they're easily overwhelmed by the chaos of daily life.
With the chaos and overstimulating nature of their daily life, they tend to look forward to bedtime more than their actual routine, especially when they don't have boundaries or habits that regulate their nervous system during the day.
2. They're constantly thinking
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Overthinkers, who replay conversations and need alone time to reflect in fulfilling ways, often crave the silence of bedtime while navigating their daily lives. They need space to think deeper about things, and the silence and quietness that comes from the solitude of bedtime is often the only time they can prioritize to seek it out.
While these kinds of deep thinkers may experience more anxiety on a daily basis because of their tendency to overthink, they also craft more meaning and purpose out of daily routines through reflection than the average person can manage.
3. They have a million obligations
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Whether it's adopting a "workaholic" mentality in their workplace or operating with everyone else's needs in mind as a busy mother, people with a million obligations with little space for resting throughout the day may crave bedtime more than the average person. That's part of the reason many mothers and women stay up later than their families, because it offers them space to focus on themselves for the first time all day.
Of course, taking small breaks throughout the day and even finding time for a quick nap can be incredibly powerful for productivity and well-being. So, if you're yearning for bedtime and feeling easily exhausted, don't underestimate the power of bringing that rest to you when you need it.
4. They're introverted
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Introverts often need alone time and solitude to recharge their social batteries, and if they have overly social obligations at work and home throughout the day, bedtime may be their only way to prioritize it.
While introverts can still seek a lot of meaning and joy from social interactions, like any other personality type, being too overwhelmed and stretched too thin socially can often create interactions that are more draining than energizing.
5. They're wildly creative
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The time right before bed is often the "sweet spot" for creative ideas and imaginative thinking, which is why creative people stuck in rigid, sterile routines may look forward to bedtime pretty much all day. Of course, truly creative people often also need idleness to tap into their inspiration, which can make the quietness of bedtime more alluring than the busyness they face during the day.
Considering our society often promotes a more productive mindset than is healthy for most people, it's not surprising that alone time and nighttime routines without pressure from the outside world is when creative people find their respite and solace.
6. They romanticize coziness
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While some people actively avoid the quietness of bedtime by working late or relying on mindless entertainment to distract their minds, people who romanticize coziness and alone time enjoy bedtime much more. Whether it's crafting a bedroom that makes them feel secure and seen or indulging in hobbies they only have time for at night, the space before bed is grounding and revitalizing for busy people.
Similar to the way people romanticize their entire lives or certain seasons, these people who romanticize coziness at night look forward to it throughout the entire day.
7. They're always tired
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While there are many symptoms of fatigue, including emotional suppression, burnout, and a lack of social interaction, many people who feel constantly tired live for bedtime. From the moment they wake up to the second before they go to sleep, all they can make time for is the respite of tuning out the world.
Even if they're spending a lot of time sleeping, experts from the University of Michigan argue that sleep quality can seriously affect how rested someone feels during the day. From the distractions of screens to a disturbing home, if someone's sleep is consistently interrupted, they may struggle with energy throughout the day, even after "sleeping" more than the average person.
8. They're overly empathetic
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While empathy tends to boost life satisfaction and happiness in many ways, living in a radically empathetic way, where other people's troubles and emotions are internalized as if they're your own, can do the opposite. Not only is it draining to live your own life, but it's even more exhausting when you start taking on other people's struggles instead of healthily supporting them from afar.
People who look forward to bedtime all day are looking for solace and "permission" to focus on themselves, even if it's just with basic hobbies and rest.
9. They live on autopilot
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Emotional suppression often causes all kinds of physical and mental health struggles, according to a study from Health Psychology Review, but the most common symptom is lowered sleep quality. With so much pent-up tension and emotion, people who struggle to face them in the present moment may look forward to bedtime all day as a chance to turn their minds off.
Even if they don't realize how much stress and anxiety they're holding onto throughout the day, because they've been programmed into avoidant behaviors, they continue to feel drained and exhausted trying to manage it all.
10. Their nervous system is dysregulated
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Many people living with a dysregulated nervous system are stuck in "fight or flight" mode, feeling a constant anxiety and need to stay "alert" to search for danger. Whether it's prompted by being overstretched by obligations or having little support, this fight or flight state makes even the smallest daily tasks feel a hundred times more draining and impossible.
If someone's looking forward to bedtime, it might feel like the only time when they can really let their guard down and stop exerting so much energy worrying.
11. They hold themselves to unsustainable standards
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Whether driven by a sense of perfectionism or a desire to "prove" themselves worthy of something, people who hold themselves to unsustainable standards during the day might feel more apt to seek out the quietness of bedtime. Especially if they take on other people's emotions and obligations during the day, being alone at night may feel like the only time they get peace away from the demands of the world.
When they can turn their mind off and simply rest, they're not always pushing themselves so hard. Even if it's in their control to rest and take a break, sometimes the forceful nature of bedtime is the only time they can truly let go of the expectations to "hustle" and keep moving forward.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
