Signs your Sunday scaries are out of control and how to combat it

Have you ever experienced a sense of anticipatory anxiety creep in at the end of a weekend? Many people refer to this feeling as the ‘Sunday scaries’.

We spoke to Dr Ashleigh Johnstone, a senior lecturer in psychology at Arden University, who explained what might be causing these lingering feelings of uneasiness and has also offered some useful tips on how to manage and, more importantly, prevent them.

How would you define the ‘Sunday scaries’?

“I think that it’s really important to note that the Sunday scaries is not a formal condition,” clarifies Johnstone. “It’s not something that a doctor would diagnose, however, it is a phenomenon that many people have experienced in some form.

“I would describe it as a feeling of apprehension, or that nervous energy that many people experience at the weekend as they start looking ahead to Monday.”

She highlights how this can trigger our natural flight-or-flight response.

“When we’re feeling uncertain or apprehensive, our amygdala can start treating these feelings as a potential threat, which triggers our internal fight-or-flight response,” explains Johnstone. “Our amygdala isn’t always sure whether something is a ‘real’ threat and so it’s safer for it to assume a threat and trigger the response, rather than assuming something isn’t a threat when it is.

“The fight-or-flight response can trigger releases of adrenaline and cortisol. The adrenaline is released pretty quickly which is why we can get that sudden on-edge, jittery feeling, whereas the cortisol comes a little bit later to keep us on high alert.”

What are some signs that might indicate your Sunday scaries are out of control?

When it starts having a tangible impact on your life, that is a red flag.

“If it’s getting to the point where you’re not sleeping properly, you’re avoiding doing things at the weekend and are turning down opportunities because you’re so worried about the upcoming week, you might want to reach out for support from your loved ones or speak to your GP to check there’s not something more serious going on,” says Johnstone.

If the Sunday scaries are having a significant impact on your social life, mental health and overall wellbeing, here are some ways to manage it…

Think about the cause

“The first step is to figure out what the cause of it is, because if you are aware of what is causing the overwhelm, then you can start thinking of ways to tackle it yourself or with the help and support of others,” advises Johnstone.

The psychology lecturer outlines three potential psychological causes.

“Firstly, when you’ve got a busy, intense week coming up, you often start to focus on it so much that you don’t get enough rest at the weekend, which means things like tiredness and stress will impact you more,” explains Johnstone.

“Secondly, if you feel a lack of control about your job/life, that can lead to a sense of apprehension because you don’t necessarily know what’s next.

“Then thirdly, sometimes the Sunday scaries are a result of a specific thing that is coming up that you feel anxious about. For example, there might be a big presentation coming up and you might not feel confident about your presentation skills, and are letting that inner critic take over, which builds that apprehension further.”

Question those irrational thoughts

“Although our brains are fascinating, but they’re not infallible,” says Johnstone. “Sometimes our brain tells us things that are just mean or aren’t correct.

“It’s important to be aware of that so that you’re able to start questioning these negative thoughts and ask yourself, is this actually true? Sometimes when you say these thoughts out loud, you realise how ridiculous they sound.”

Write it down

“Sometimes writing things down can help get it out of our brains into something tangible which can help us process it better,” says Johnstone.

Ease yourself into Monday

“Personally, on a Monday morning I block out my calendar between 9am and 10am which means no one can surprise me on a Monday morning with any tasks, and it also means that I know that I will always have a gentle start to a Monday,” shares Johnstone. “Similarly, on a Friday I think about how can I either end a task or leave it in a state where there’s really clear instructions for me to pick up again on Monday so that it doesn’t creep into my weekend.”

Look for opportunities to upskill

“If you feel nervous about something, like a presentation, look at it as an opportunity to upskill,” recommends Johnstone. “If you work on that skill by going to classes or by practising with friends, your confidence in that skill will start to increase, which will reduce any self-doubt.”

Prepare some of your meals for the week

“You might want to spend some time at the weekend batch cooking, so that you know that you’ve got nice, healthy meals for the upcoming week,” says Johnstone.

Practise mindfulness

“For some people, mindfulness is sitting down quietly in a room and focusing on their breathing, but for someone else it might be colouring or baking,” says Johnstone.

“There are lots of different ways to practice mindfulness, but the most important thing is to do something that brings you to the present moment, where you can focus solely on what you’re doing, rather than trying to juggle everything.”

Create positive associations with Mondays

“Think about what brings you joy and find a way to bring that into your Monday,” recommends Johnstone. “For example, you could stop off at your favourite coffee shop and grab your favourite drink every Monday morning.”

Carve out time to unwind

“Anything that brings you a sense of peace or helps you say goodbye to the previous week is really beneficial,” says Johnstone. “For example, you could have a bubbly bath every Sunday evening or have Sunday lunch with your family.”