Late bedtime: Is a scarcity mindset keeping you up

By Nadine Araksi, Toronto-based Story Coach

Your digital device of choice reminds you it’s bedtime. Even though you programmed it to nudge you to go to bed, you snap, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day!” and ignore it.

It’s 12:30 am and you’ve got to be up in the morning. But when Netflix asks you if you’re “still watching,” you think to yourself, “Just one more episode” and hit play.

Your first thought of the day is, “I’m exhausted” or “I didn’t get enough sleep.”

You feel like you’re failing at this sleep thing and berate yourself, making promises that you’ll go to bed early tonight. For sure. Today will be different.

And, repeat.

Do You Have a Scarcity Mindset?

The scarcity mindset, the opposite of an abundance mindset, stems from the belief that there’s not enough to go around. (Read more about mindsets here.) Scarcity mentality creates a sort of tunnel vision, where we can’t see outside our perceived problems. Scarcity mindset often causes us to double down on our beliefs, blaming a situation or person for our circumstances, rather than accepting our responsibility for our outcomes.

Whenever you catch yourself saying, “too much” or “not enough” about anything, it’s an alarm bell that can alert you to a hidden scarcity mindset you weren’t aware you had. So if you’re thinking that there was too much to do and not enough time to do it, and that’s why you’re off to bed so late, you are operating with a belief that time is scarce. You might believe you have an energy scarcity after “not enough” sleep. And yes, some of these things will be true, because…

Scarcity Mindset Creates a Scarce Reality

Scarcity creates a mindset that perpetuates scarcity. The busier you feel, the more crowded your calendar or to-do list will be. The more tired you feel, the more you will continue to make choices that keep you exhausted. The good news is that a scarcity mindset can be reframed, and the conditions that cause your time or sleep scarcity can be managed.

Accept that there’s no magic fix. All the melatonin and CBD in the world can’t rehabilitate your bedtime habits long-term. But with a simple, customized-to-you plan, and a true commitment to solving your going-to-bed problem, you can finally change the story.

No perfectionist fantasies will get you to sweet dreams. We are going to help you write a new bedtime story and show you a fresh way of looking at the habit of going to bed at a reasonable time.

Aren’t You Tired of the Late-to-Bed Cycle?

Imagine the focus, energy, and attention you might have when you master this change. We’re going to take you through a way of looking at exactly what is keeping you from good sleeping habits. Through mindset coaching, we’ll help you find the real root of your resistance and figure out what’s going to make the change worthwhile. We’ll help you develop a simple plan that works for your life. No celebrity-endorsed, 12-step plans here!

You’ll come away knowing exactly what you need to do to build the bedtime habits you want, without relying on motivation or willpower.

You can do this. If you look back at your life, we’re sure you’ve done way harder things than change your sleep habits.

“Future You” Is Going to Be So Well-Rested!

You’re going to start feeling refreshed when you wake up. You’ll build trust with yourself and the confidence that you can hit the sheets and wind down for sleep more reliably than a Disney princess under a spell. Heck, you might even become one of those annoyingly productive people who go to bed consistently at the same time, night after night.