Many people spend their weeks eagerly planning their weekends, only to feel overwhelmed by thoughts of work on Sunday evenings. This common phenomenon affects over 80% of Americans and is known as the Sunday scaries.
Read on to learn more about the Sunday scaries, their symptoms and common causes. You’ll also find 11 effective tips to help you manage and prevent Sunday evening anxiety, so you can enjoy your weekends and start your week feeling refreshed and prepared.
What are the Sunday scaries?
The term Sunday scaries, or Sunday blues, refers to feelings of anxiety, stress or dread that someone may experience on Sundays in anticipation of the work week ahead.
The Sunday scaries are a type of anticipatory anxiety, which means that they can cause someone to worry or feel nervous about something that hasn’t happened yet. In the case of the Sunday scaries, that can look like worrying about an upcoming meeting or dreading your commute to work ahead of time.
If left unmanaged, the Sunday scaries can lead to elevated symptoms of anxiety and stress and take a toll on your well-being.
Settle the Sunday scaries with these 11 tips
The Sunday scaries can make it difficult to relax and enjoy the last few hours of the weekend. However, Sunday nights don’t have to be accompanied by feelings of dread, anxiety or stress about the upcoming week.
Reclaim your time off and make the most of your “me time” with these 11 tips:
1. Create a soothing Sunday evening routine
Creating a soothing Sunday evening routine could help ease and prevent the Sunday scaries. This routine can consist of whatever activities feel best for you. For instance, it could include journaling, listening to a podcast while doing self-care activities or catching up on your favorite TV shows.
By intentionally deciding that your Sunday evenings are a time for feel-good activities instead of stress and unease, you can reframe your expectations and experience.
2. Plan out your week in advance
The Sunday scaries are a mild form of anticipatory anxiety, which is caused by uncertainty about possible upcoming events. While you can’t control every aspect of how your week will play out, planning out your week ahead of time or prepping for specific meetings or conversations can help ease some of that anxiety.
For instance, if you're feeling stressed about work tasks, try dividing your week into time slots for specific tasks or making a to-do list. Having designated time windows for your workflow and an idea of what you’ll be working on can help you prepare for the week ahead.
When possible, take some time at the end of the workweek to plan for the upcoming week. This way, you can go into the weekend confident that you have a plan for how you’ll meet your upcoming deadlines and reduce some of the uncertainty that could be contributing to your Sunday scaries.
3. Get a good night’s rest
Quality sleep plays a key role in your overall health and well-being. Your body and brain need uninterrupted and comfortable sleep to function properly and to recharge. A good night’s rest can help you be more productive and focused. Additionally, getting enough sleep can help you better regulate your mood and help you feel less irritable.
If you have trouble sleeping due to Sunday anxiety, there are a few things you can do to improve your quality of sleep.
Tips for improving your quality of sleep:
- Follow a consistent sleep schedule
- Avoid eating a big meal two to three hours before bedtime
- Turn off your screens an hour before bedtime
- Incorporate movement and exercise into your daily routine
- Sleep in a cool, dark room
- Limit your caffeine intake
- Avoid alcohol and nicotine
- Only use your bed for sleep and sex, don’t read or watch TV in bed
4. Treat yourself on Mondays
Transitioning from the weekend to the workweek can feel like a struggle. However, treating yourself to something on Mondays can give you something to look forward to. This might involve starting your Monday morning with a special cup of coffee or indulging in your favorite pastry from the local coffee shop on your commute.
You could also choose to do something in the evenings, like going for a bike ride or meeting up with a friend after work. Adding something special to your Mondays can help ease the Sunday scaries and make the start of the week something to look forward to.
