This Is the Night That People Have the Most Trouble Sleeping Use these three strategies to rest easier.
By Nina Zipkin •
The Sunday Night Blues are real.
A recent survey conducted through YouGov for meditation platform Calm polled 4,279 Americans and Brits and found that insomnia plagued people the most on Sunday night.
Forty-six percent reported having trouble sleeping on Sunday night, followed by 17 percent on Monday, 9 percent on Saturday and Wednesday, 8 percent on Tuesday, 7 percent on Friday and oddly enough Thursday came in last with only 5 percent identifying it as the night where they did the most tossing and turning.
As for Thursday's bottom spot, it stands to reason that if you're working toward the weekend and you've gotten most of your work done in the days prior, the idea of waking up on a Friday is less stressful.
So if you're feeling worried about the week ahead, what can you do to wind down and get the best night's rest?
Put a routine in place to allay your anxiety.
Christopher Lindholst, the CEO and co-founder of sleep startup MetroNaps, says that we all tend to need roughly seven and half hours of sleep to feel the most rested, and that cycles of sleep generally occur in 90 minute increments.
Set in your mind how much time you need in the morning to get ready and out the door with a minimal amount of stress on Monday morning. Then count backwards using those 90-minute blocks to get to your ideal bedtime. Establishing those boundaries will make it possible to put a Sunday night routine in place that will allow you to get all the you need done and won't have you thinking you forgot something or struggling out of bed the next day.
Read more: Want to Maximize Your Sleep? Use This Nap Entrepreneur's 5 Top Tips.
Say goodnight to your devices.
What is the last thing you do before you go to bed and the first thing you do when you wake up? If the answer is check your phone, you're not alone, but it is definitely affecting your ability to fall asleep and wake up unencumbered. Especially on Sunday night, needlessly checking your work email will only bring the following day's challenges to your doorstep sooner. Also, that light from your devices will make it all the more difficult to turn off your brain.
Read more: 18 Science-Backed Sleep Tips to Make You More Productive (Infographic)
Embrace the great outdoors.
If you're stuck inside all weekend binge watching the latest Netflix release and dreading going to work on Monday, of course you're not going to be able to relax when the time comes to get some shut eye.
A 2016 study from the University of Michigan recommends letting the sunshine in. Exercise helps too. A recent study from the University of Central Florida found that burning about 587 calories doing an activity such as jogging or swimming made it easier for people to leave their work troubles back in the office.
Read more: Rough Day at Work? Exercise and Sleep Are the Best Ways to Shake It Off.
