Background <p>Bedtime procrastination is a widespread sleep problem among university students, particularly medical students, with detrimental effects on physical and mental health. Self-compassion, a positive psychological quality characterized by kindness toward oneself, may serve as a protective factor against sleep-delaying behaviors.</p> Method <p>This cross-sectional study used a convenience sampling method which invited participants to answer a survey through the university’s official channels. A total of 743 valid questionnaires were finally included for analysis. The measurement tools used in the study included the Nighttime Media Use Questionnaire, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Bedtime Procrastination Scale. Descriptive statistical analysis, difference tests, and correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS 26.0. A serial mediation model was tested using PROCESS macro (Model 6) to examine the direct and indirect pathways between these variables while controlling for gender and age.</p> Results <p>Self-compassion demonstrated a negative association with bedtime procrastination. Serial mediation analysis indicated that self-compassion influenced bedtime procrastination through a serial mediation pathway involving reduced nighttime media use in the dark, which subsequently decreased media use duration, ultimately leading to lower bedtime procrastination. Both the indirect pathway and the direct effect of self-compassion remained statistically significant.</p> Conclusion <p>This study finds a significant association between self-compassion and bedtime procrastination among medical students, partially explained by a serial mediation pathway involving nighttime media use. The model proposes that enhancing self-compassion and fostering healthy media habits are potential strategies to mitigate bedtime procrastination in high-stress student populations.</p>