Can't sleep on Sundays? You're not alone, study finds

 

 

 

More than a third of participants in a survey rated Sunday night as the toughest night of the week to fall asleep.

Your case of the Mondays probably began Sunday night.
A study by online panel and survey provider Toluna Omnibus asked more than 3,000 American adults on which night of the week they had the most trouble falling asleep. More than one-third said Sunday, dwarfing the dread expressed for any other night.

Toluna Global Omnibus. Sunday is the night when the most people have trouble finally falling asleep.

According to the study, 39 percent of us just can’t sleep on Sunday night. The next-closest troubling night was Saturday, at 19 percent.
We fall asleep most easily on Tuesday and Thursday nights, according to the study, with 5 percent of the respondents saying they have trouble on Tuesday and just 3 percent saying they can’t sleep on Thursday.
Among the 61 percent who didn’t rate Sunday as the worst night for falling asleep, 27 percent said they sometimes worry more about falling asleep on Sunday than on other nights.
That "worry factor" may explain why Sunday generates so much dread, the study says.

"Nearly half (48 percent) of respondents who are employed full time say they have the most difficulty falling asleep on Sunday night," the study says. "The data suggest that this difficulty is related to transitioning to and anticipating the week ahead."
The study also links age and income to Sunday night sleep troubles.
Respondents who earn more money tend to have more trouble sleeping on Sunday night, according to the study. Participants between the ages of 40 and 54 also had more difficulty falling asleep on Sunday than other age groups.
Location could disrupt our dreams as well.
The study found that almost half of the participants living in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states dreaded Sunday more than other nights.

But what can be done? The study included some expert sleep tips from psychologist Michael Breus:

• Limit caffeine after 2 p.m. and avoid alcohol.
• Keeping a regular schedule can teach your body to fall asleep at the same time every night.
• Try a "worry journal." Getting your concerns out on paper before trying to sleep may help.
• Sunlight can reset your body's internal clock, so try to get 15 minutes of sunlight in the morning.
• Your environment can make a big difference. A cool, dark, comfortable room can help you fall asleep.
• Natural sleep supplements may help some people relax and fall asleep.