It may come as little surprise, but three times as many people sleep badly on Sunday night than any other night of the week.
This information comes from a survey of 4,279 Americans and Britons conducted by pollsters at YouGov on behalf of Calm.com, a meditation app.
A full 46% ranked Sunday night as the most troublesome night for sleep. Even Monday can’t compete—only 17% said it was the worst night of sleep. So what’s the best night for shut-eye? Thursday.
The biggest culprit for poor Sunday night sleep is the lack of sleep routines over the weekend, says Steve Orma, a clinical psychologist and insomnia specialist, in a news release on Calm.com.
“Many people go to bed later on Friday and Saturday nights and then sleep in later on Saturday and Sunday mornings,” he says. “So, when they go to bed on Sunday night, they’re often just not tired. And then when they can’t sleep, they start to think about why they’re not sleeping, which only makes things worse.”
Orma offers these tips for overcoming the sleep struggle:
- Have a regular wake-up time on the weekends
- Reduce alcohol consumption
- Find a way to wind down and relax