Here We Go Again: It’s Sunday – The Sunday Night Blues

Ah, Sunday. The day explicitly set aside for relaxation and preparation for the week ahead. Instead, most of us are grappling with the now popular Sunday Night Blues, or the Sunday Scaries. What begins as a vague sense of discomfort gradually grows over the day, ultimately becoming impossible to ignore - manifesting in the evening. The knowledge that Monday is just around the corner is enough to drastically shift what would be a peaceful day into a day filled with stress. It is a feeling many live with, turning the end of the weekend into anything but restful.

You have likely spent the weekend trying to recharge, but that reassuring voice gets drowned out around 4 PM, only to be replaced by a nagging whisper saying “Hope you enjoyed that latte - Monday is coming for you.” All of a sudden, you are plunged underwater by the wave of dread, doom, and unmistakable anxiety of outlasting yet another week ahead.

What’s happening here? Why does Sunday elicit such a strong emotional response from us, even after a pleasant weekend?

Why Is Sunday Scary?

Sunday Night Blues, or Sunday Scaries, definitely are a thing—and not an invented concept by millennials trying to rationalize having cereal for dinner. Sunday Night Blues is a form of anticipatory anxiety. It intensifies once your mind starts running through the checklist of meetings, responsibilities, and adulting that waits for you behind the corner of Monday.

Even if your job isn’t especially high-pressure, just the thought of another week filled with endless tasks, to-do lists, “urgent” Slack messages, and the everyday monotony of office life can be enough to trigger anxiety. For disengaged workers, it’s a harsh reality—day after day starts to feel like an endless hamster wheel, with little purpose or joy, leaving you feeling drained and disconnected.

7 Tips to Make Sunday Night Less Scary

1. Reverse Planning with Script Flipping

As a unique approach, try preparing on Friday afternoon. When the week is over, write a list of your priorities, schedule important meetings, and account for some free time. Imagine walking into the week with a strategy on how to execute your Monday, and having your Sunday free of chaotic pre-Monday activities.

2. Calm your Sunday Scaries with a Playlist

A mood-setting tune can bring a sense of joy and calm, helping to shift your mindset. As you create your Sunday reset playlist, why not add a little extra cozy vibe with a candle and a comforting drink to sip on?

3. Reward Yourself with Fun After Tackling Tough Tasks

Rewarding yourself after completing tasks you’d rather avoid can completely shift your perspective. Think of these tasks as necessary hurdles—getting them done will feel more manageable. Once they're out of the way, you’ve earned the chance to relax and enjoy your free time, knowing you’ve accomplished what you needed to.

4. Schedule Micro-Joys Throughout the Week

Add some bounce to your weekdays instead of postponing all the fun till the weekend. Take a walk with your dog at sunset, purchase a refreshing drink on Wednesday, or FaceTime a friend midweek. These mini mood boosts help the brain look forward to more than just the weekday grind.

5. Write to Your Future Self

Each week on Sunday, take five minutes to jot down a note for your future self. Think about your week – what went well and what do you want to fix next week? This brings a feeling of success because the progress feels captured, which helps make weeks feel more like stories to be enjoyed rather than something to be passed through.

6. Get Clear on Your Values

You might notice that Sunday Scaries are your job misalignment with life. One of the biggest reasons is if you’re living in a way that does not reflect the things that are important to you. If you feel misaligned with your values, even the smallest tasks begin to seem burdensome.

As a starting point, think about the values that are important to you personally, be it creativity, connecting with people, helping others in need, or learning, and see how you might incorporate some of that into your week. That might mean making time to write, volunteer, or even learning to set better boundaries. Work is not the only source of purpose.

7. Seeking Therapy Helps to Achieve a Balanced Life

Even pre-planned calendars and well thought out playlists don’t always seem to do the trick when it comes to relaxing towards the end of the week. That is where therapy comes in. A therapist can help you get to the root of the problem when it comes to anxiety on Sundays, which could be anything from burnout to unresolved stress. Therapy equips you with tools to manage anxiety, overcome life-changing transitions, and create an infrastructure that nurtures your emotions and thoughts. Therapy isn’t just about fixing what's broken—it’s about creating a life you’re excited to wake up to, even on a Monday morning

There is Hope in Beating the Dreadful Sunday Scaries!

The Sunday Night Blues are a common struggle, but they don’t have to define your weekends. With some intentional changes, a few well-curated playlists, and perhaps a little therapy, you can reclaim your Sundays and head into the new week with a calmer mindset.

It’s not about dreading Mondays; it’s about facing them with calm, confidence, and a plan. Inhale, exhale—you’ve got this.

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For more tips and mental health support, and online therapy sessions visit www.sandiego-therapy.com. Fill out the contact form to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with Anissa Bell, LMFT, and find out if online therapy is right for you (currently not offering in person therapy). Providing online therapy throughout California. Click HERE for more information about online therapy and therapy costs.