A Doctor's Secret For Getting Your Best-Quality Sleep On The Weekends

When the weekend comes, we often revel in the chance to skip setting an alarm and opt instead to "catch up" on the sleep we may have missed out on during the week. The one caveat? We then inevitably have a hard time falling asleep on Sunday night.

As Tal explains to mbg, it's important we mind our circadian rhythm—whether it's a weekday or a weekend. "If you have sleep problems," he says, "it's really important to keep a consistent sleep schedule on the weekends because our natural circadian rhythm may get a bit confused if we're constantly changing our sleep schedule."

This can lead to the phenomenon known as "social jet lag," which happens when our activities on the weekend keep us up later, and we subsequently sleep in. "By Sunday night, you may not be able to fall asleep until later, which can give you a lot of anxiety," Tal adds.

So, to remedy this, your best bet is trying to go to sleep and wake up at around the same time, even on the weekends. Though, Tal adds, "If you don't have a sleeping problem, it's totally fine to sleep in a bit. You might have issues falling asleep on Sunday nights, but it's not a big deal if you can accept having one bad night of sleep."

And on that note, giving yourself plenty of time to wind down (perhaps more than you normally would) to hit your normal bedtime, will help ensure you settle into sleep and recover from the weekend. Other things to consider include keeping your bedroom around 65 degrees (the optimal sleep temperature), trying a sleep-supporting supplement like mbg's sleep support+ and turning off your tech a little early to ensure you can get to bed on time.