Sometimes, when the end of the weekend rolls around, people experience what we playfully call “Sunday scaries”--also known as Sunday night anxiety. It can be challenging for children and adults to transition from the weekend to the work or school week, provoking a predictable anxiety come Sunday evening.
If you notice yourself or your child dreading the end of the weekend, you may be suffering from Sunday night anxiety. The good news? With some helpful tips, you can master the beginning of a new week and overcome the dread of Sunday night.
At BLOOM, our mission is to identify the common challenges children and families face and meet them at their point of need with easy-to-access online resources. Our online courses feature topics such as Anxiety, Fear, Anxiety, Stress, and Phobia, Parenting a Needy Child, Emotional Control and Regulation, The Teenage Years, and more.
What is Sunday Night Anxiety?
With a predictable timeline, Sunday night anxiety often stems from not wanting to be where you need to be come Monday morning. This is usually the workplace for adults, and for children, it is school. Sometimes, the anxiety is rooted in boredom or the opposite; it stems from entering into the unpredictable on Monday.
Some people don’t like being in a busy, hectic work environment of too many people and find that the unpredictability and hecticness cause them anxiety. For children, Sunday night anxiety can be rooted in anxiety around upcoming tests or anxiety from social challenges at school.
For others, their work environment or classroom is too boring and stifling, causing them feelings of anxiousness about returning to that environment on Monday morning.
If you experience Sunday night anxiety, you may experience physical symptoms in addition to anxious thoughts. This can include a racing heartbeat, inability to quiet your thoughts, trouble sleeping, trembling, upset stomach, sweating, difficulty breathing, headache, and, in extreme cases, depression.
5 Tips to Eliminate Sunday Anxiety
There are plenty of helpful tips to overcome general anxiety. Aiming to spend time outdoors, engaging in social interaction, and having exciting plans on the calendar can all be useful tools to take your mind off anxious thoughts. When it comes to Sunday night anxiety specifically, try these helpful tips:
- Create a predictable Sunday night routine. Saving your favorite TV show or having a special Sunday night dinner as a family can give you a reason to look forward to Sunday and prepare your mind for Monday morning.
- Prioritize sleep. Get to bed early to feel good when you wake up Monday morning. Aiming for at least 8 hours of sleep will reduce Sunday night anxiety and other anxiety in general.
- Get some exercise and spend time outdoors. Every Sunday, make a point to get outside and get some exercise. A walk or bike ride in the fresh air will do wonders for your anxiety!
- Create a Monday to-do list. Often, Sunday night anxiety stems from a feeling of overwhelm about Monday morning. Writing down a to-do list and ord them starting at 1. This can help reduce anxious thoughts and help you have a clear plan to tackle Monday morning.
- Plan something fun for the upcoming week. Ask yourself, “What am I doing for fun this week?” Sometimes, the best way to tackle Monday is to have something to look forward to later in the week! Planning a social event, going out to dinner, planning an outdoor adventure, etc. will help you look forward to the week rather than dread it.
Help with Sunday Night Anxiety
Sunday night anxiety, and anxiety in general, can be frustrating at best and debilitating at worst. If your Sunday night anxiety significantly impacts your sleep or eating habits, it may be time to seek professional help.
If you or your child are experiencing mild anxiety around Sunday evenings and want to overcome that feeling of dread at the thought of Monday morning, the tips in this article can be effective.
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