Happy Momentum Monday (on a Sunday)! 

This week we’re chatting about something A LOT of us struggle with…going to bed, or better yet, GETTING TO SLEEP!  

You ever look up at the clock like, “how TF is it 1:47am?”
You were just gonna scroll for 10 minutes. Then suddenly it’s tomorrow.

Welcome to the sweet hellscape that is revenge bedtime procrastination where you’re so desperate for “me time” you’ll sacrifice sleep for it, even though your morning self is gonna be so pissed…and so tired. 

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So, why do we do this?

Well, a few reasons, actually…

Going to bed can feel boring.
Sleep means the day is over, and for a lot of us, the day didn’t have much space that actually felt like ours.

Plus… the “getting ready for bed” part? Kinda sucks.
Brushing teeth, washing your face, turning off lights, unplugging your brain… it’s another to-do list at the end of a long-ass day.

And let’s not ignore the dopamine trap. That delicious scroll, the late-night productivity high, the hyperfocus energy surge. It’s fun… until it isn’t.

What Helps (Without Feeling Like Punishment)

1. Know Your WHY

You’re an adult. You can go to bed at 2am every night if you want. Nobody’s gonna arrest you.
But… why do you want to shift it?

Here’s the truth most of us are avoiding:
If you’re going to bed at 1am and waking up at 7am (and let’s be honest, that’s sleeping in for some of you), that’s six hours of sleep.

Six hours is not enough.
Not for your ADHD brain. Not for sustainable energy. Definitely not for executive function.

And when your executive function is trashed, everything is harder:

• Focus? Shot.

• Emotional regulation? Ha.

• Momentum? Missing.
  So when that reverse alarm (the one that tells you to head to bed) goes off at 10pm, don’t frame it as a demand.
  Frame it as a gift to future you, the you who wants to show up with more capacity tomorrow.

2. Make the Chaos a Choice

If you’re gonna stay up late, fine. But do it on purpose.

“Tonight I’m staying up and I’m cool with the consequences,” is very different than
“Shit… how did I end up on Reddit reading conspiracy theories about pigeon surveillance?”

Choose it. Don’t autopilot it. Set an alarm if you tend lose track of time. And hit snooze, not off, until you’re done. That shit gets annoying reeeeal quick.

3. Build a Sleep Hygiene Toolbox

Don’t try to overhaul your entire routine. Just pick a few ADHD-friendly “bedtime-ish” tools you can grab when needed:

• Turn your phone off (yes, off) at a set time.

• Keep face wipes, floss picks, & mouthwash handy for a “chore-lite” option when executive function is in the trash.

• Start a “sleepy-time” playlist or Yoga Nidra habit.

• Make reading a fun, low-stakes book or magazine part of your bedtime wind-down.

These are obviously just suggestions. Find what feels good for you to make the path to bed feel like something soft and doable, not one more demand.

4. Meet Yourself Where You’re At

Going from a 1am bedtime to 10pm overnight is a setup for failure.
Instead, back it up in baby steps:

• Try 12:30 this week.

• Then midnight next week.

• 11:30 the week after.

That’s how you sneak past your own resistance. Let change be gradual, not dramatic.

5. Catch the Cue

We always think we’ll just watch one more video, or scroll for 5 minutes. (Lies. All lies.)
Try setting a “reverse alarm” at 9:30 or 10pm that says:
“Hey, future-you wants to feel better tomorrow. Are you winding down… or winding up?”

This gently snaps you back to awareness without wagging a shame finger in your face.

This Week’s Action Step:

Set a reverse alarm for 9:45 or 10pm. Label it something cheeky like:

“Hey love — future you would love 8 hours of sleep.”
Or
“Are we doing this with intention, or as a default?”

And ask yourself this:

“Why do I actually care about getting more sleep?”
Let that reason anchor you when demand avoidance flares up.

Final Thought:

You’re not stupid for staying up late. You’re human.
You don’t need more demands, you need compassionate systems.
You’re allowed to be tired of being tired.

Let’s stop making sleep the enemy, and start making it part of the toolkit.

Catch you next week with more momentum (and maybe a few more zzz’s). 

— Leah 🌶️

P.S. As always if this feels impossible, reach out and let’s give you real time boost of momentum with a side of accountability.