It’s all but impossible to sleep well the night before a big race. Recent research gives new insight into how this impacts your finish Continue reading
javahut healthy feed
Will One Sleepless Night Affect Your Race Time?
Reply
Tag Archives: Night
The Night You’re Most Likely to Have Sleep Trouble
Need to catch up on sleep? Don’t plan to do it on Sunday night. Compared to other nights of the week, people have the most difficulty falling asleep on Sundays, according to new findings from the market research company Toluna Omnibus.
In the survey, more than 3,000 adults across the country weighed in on how long it takes them to fall asleep each evening. The results: Two out of five people said they have the most trouble drifting off on Sunday nights. Among them, 70 percent said they toss and turn up to 30 minutes longer on Sundays. What’s more, of the people who didn’t report having trouble falling asleep on Sunday nights, a quarter said they still worry they will have difficulty.
So what makes it so hard to get rest on the night when you really need it to start your workweek on the right note? Study author Michael Breus, PhD, a sleep expert and a clinical psychologist, says the answer is two-fold: First, you tend to change your typical routine on weekends. And when you hit the sack after midnight on Friday and Saturday, your body isn’t quite ready for bed when you try to tuck in earlier on Sunday.
Stress is another big reason you might struggle to snooze on Sundays. When your Monday-morning to-do list is top of mind, it can be tough to relax and drift off to sleep.
While Breus says sleep is important every night of the week to support your health and productivity, getting seven to nine hours of sleep on Sunday nights is absolutely vital—it helps you fully recharge and establish a sound sleep schedule for the workweek to come.
Need help sleeping soundly on Sundays (or any night, for that matter)? Follow these tips to get the shuteye you need.
photo: Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock
More from WH:
Solutions to Every Sleep Problem
How to Wake Up With More Energy
QUIZ: Do You Get Enough Sleep?
Go Ahead—Work Out at Night
Despite what you may have heard, going on a late-night jog won’t sabotage your shut-eye. People who exercise are between 56 percent to 67 percent more likely to say they typically get a good night’s sleep—regardless of what time a day they sweat it out, according to a new survey from the National Sleep Foundation. Just 39 percent of non-exercisers said the same.
Researchers polled 1,000 adults and asked them what their exercise routine was, as well as whether they typically experienced an uninterrupted night’s sleep. People were then divided into four exercise groups based on their responses: vigorous (running, cycling), moderate (yoga, weight lifting), light (walking), and non-exercisers. Although sleep lengths were similar across the board (about seven hours), 61 percent of the inactive exercisers said they rarely–if ever–slept well on work nights, and 24 percent of them said they had trouble falling asleep. Vigorous exercisers, on the other hand, were the least likely to report sleep issues. In fact, 72 percent reported never experiencing insomnia symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s physical activity guidelines suggest getting 150 minutes of vigorous exercise each week for health benefits, including improved sleep. But there’s no need to stress over the exact length and frequency of your workout routine—just keep moving. “Any sort of exercise is beneficial for sleep quality,” says Matthew Buman, PhD, a professor of exercise and wellness at Arizona State University .
Based on the poll results, the National Sleep Foundation has amended its recommendations to encourage exercise regardless of time. Can’t squeeze in a workout? Read up on other ways to catch more Zs:
Sleep Tips to Wake Up with More Energy
De-stress Your Life & Get More Sleep
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
To find out how to suppress your hunger hormone, buy The Belly Fat Fix now!