1068 Fear of Missing Out, Pre-Sleep Arousal, Bedtime Procrastination, and Sleep Health: A Serial Moderated Mediation Analysis

Abstract Introduction Fear of missing out (FoMO) refers to anxiety an individual feels when they believe they are missing out on rewarding experience, social interaction, or information. FoMO has been associated with negative psychological and behavioral symptoms, problematic technology engagement, and poorer sleep health. However, the pathways through which FoMO influences sleep outcomes are not well understood. This study examined a serial moderated mediation model to determine whether pre-sleep arousal and bedtime procrastination accounted for associations between FoMO and sleep disturbance and sleep-related impairment and whether self-control and belongingness moderated these pathways. Methods Participants were 505 college students who completed validated measures of FoMO, pre-sleep arousal, bedtime procrastination, self-control, belongingness, sleep disturbance, and sleep-related impairment. Two structural equation models were estimated separately for each sleep outcome. Each model included pre-sleep arousal as the first mediator, bedtime procrastination as the second mediator, self-control as a moderator of the association between pre-sleep arousal and bedtime procrastination, and belongingness as a moderator of the association between FoMO and the sleep outcome. Models controlled for age and gender. Results FoMO was significantly associated with higher pre-sleep arousal in both models. Pre-sleep arousal was significantly associated with greater bedtime procrastination, and bedtime procrastination was significantly associated with both sleep disturbance and sleep-related impairment. Significant indirect effects were observed for the pathway from FoMO to pre-sleep arousal to each sleep outcome, along with significant serial indirect effects involving bedtime procrastination. Self-control moderated the association between pre-sleep arousal and bedtime procrastination, such that individuals with lower self-control demonstrated stronger bedtime procrastination. Belongingness moderated the association between FoMO and sleep-related impairment but not sleep disturbance. Conclusion Findings suggest that FoMO contributes to poorer sleep health through elevated pre-sleep arousal and bedtime procrastination. Self-control and belongingness influenced the strength of the pathways, suggesting that difficulties in self-control and lower perceptions of belongingness may heighten susceptibility to FoMO-related sleep problems. Belongingness moderated the association between FoMO and sleep-related impairment, but not sleep disturbance, indicating that social connectedness may specifically buffer the daytime functional consequences of FoMO-related stress. These factors may therefore represent important targets for prevention and intervention efforts aimed at improving sleep health. Support (if any) None.