The Roles of Procrastinatory Cognitions and Bedtime Procrastination in Insomnia among Students

Background and Objective: Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep-related problems among university students. To date, several explanatory models for insomnia have been presented; however, the perspective of procrastination has been less considered. The present study s aim was to determine the association between procrastinatory cognitions and bedtime procrastination, and insomnia among students. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of students of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. A total of 433 students were selected using stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BTPS), and Procrastinatory Cognitions Inventory (PCI). Results: The severity of insomnia in medical students varied from non-clinical to clinical insomnia. In addition, the results of regression analysis indicated that the full model was significant regarding the predictors of insomnia. Only 3% of variance in insomnia severity was due to demographic variables, while bedtime procrastination and procrastinatory cognitions explained 33% of the variance in the severity of insomnia among students. Conclusion: The procrastination-related structures such as procrastinatory cognitions and bedtime procrastination play an important role in explaining insomnia in students. Addressing these variables as perpetuating factors can be considered in the treatment of insomnia in students.