Sunday 8 May 2016

The simple tricks to stop your Sunday Night Insomnia revealed

By Sophie Haslett

Despite doing everything right - be it a healthy brunch or an afternoon run - some people find they simply cannot fall asleep on a Sunday evening.
But they are not alone, with close to 60 per cent of people suffering from 'Sunday Night Insomnia'.
Mindfulness specialist, Clarissa Hughes, from Sydney, spoke to Femail about to find out how to cure Sunday night sleeplessness.
According to Ms Hughes, as well as countless other sleep experts, there are a number of things at play when taking into account why we sleep so badly on a Sunday.  
As well as the biological rhythm your body is used to and your natural sleep and waking pattern being altered at the weekend, often people find themselves lying awake thinking about what they have to do and accomplish that week on a Sunday:
'Sunday night is to-do list night,' Ms Hughes said.
'Our brains automatically start mulling over the week ahead of us, which makes it hard to sleep while we have so much brain activity.'
Ms Hughes said that on a Sunday, 'good sleep hygiene' is more important than ever.

'Banning smartphones and devices from the bedroom might sound like a cliche, but it really works,' she said.
'Also, try to go to bed at your regular weeknight time and have a relaxing bath before you head into your room.
'Things like keeping the bedroom dark help, too. I recommend doing some gentle yoga poses like placing your legs up the wall, or listening to a restful meditation podcast to get your body and mind primed for sleep.
'If you have too many thoughts running around your head when you switch off the light, don't try too hard to sleep. In fact, do the opposite and it's amazing how quickly sleep will happen.' 
While there is no direct science as to why some people sleep badly on a Sunday, the experts all agree that the reason why every office worker is so bleary-eyed at 9am on a Monday morning is down to the shock of going back to the regular routine.

'Sleeping in and staying out late over the weekend definitely affects our bodies and the quality of sleep we get,' says MS Hughes.
'The human body likes routine and when we mess with the routine, our sleep pattern struggles.'
While she says we can usually overcome one bad night's sleep pretty quickly, if we have a few or even a couple in a row, we start to suffer from 'sleep deficit', which is hard to make up and leaves us cranky by mid Monday afternoon, as well as craving sugary foods.
Stress is also a factor, and fretful nights spent thinking about meetings and deadlines the next day, are not good for the body.
When it comes to tips for banishing your Sunday night sleeplessness, Ms Hughes advises:
'Prepare for sleep earlier in the evening by eating a light dinner at a reasonable time. Don't drink too much before bedtime, and turn off the TV at least an hour before bed, before having a bath or shower.'
Ms Hughes also says that changing into your pyjamas is useful, too, as it tricks the mind into thinking it's time to switch off. 
'Make your room a gadget-free zone without smartphones or TVs that emit blue light,' she says, and before you go in, listen to a little soothing music.
Finally, Ms Hughes says that people's bedrooms should always be kept at a 'good temperature 'around 20 degrees Celsius'.
That being said, the bed and duvet should be warm, to stop you from shivering underneath it. 
So why don't you give it a try this Sunday night? 
That way, by the time Monday morning rolls around, with any luck you won't be half as heavy-lidded and sluggish as the rest of your colleagues.
 

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