It starts in the late afternoon. Maybe as the sun begins to set. A creeping sense of dread settles in your chest. The weekend isn't even over yet, but it feels like it's already gone. Monday looms, and with it, everything you'll have to face.
Welcome to the Sunday Scaries—that particular blend of anxiety, sadness, and dread that descends on Sunday evenings. If you experience this, you're in good company: studies suggest up to 80% of people feel some version of it.
What Are the Sunday Scaries?
The Sunday Scaries (also called Sunday blues or Sunday anxiety) is anticipatory anxiety about the upcoming week. It typically includes:
- A sense of dread or heaviness
- Racing thoughts about what's coming
- Difficulty enjoying the remaining weekend hours
- Trouble sleeping Sunday night
- Sadness about the weekend ending
- Irritability or restlessness
- Physical symptoms: tight chest, upset stomach, tension
Why Does This Happen?
Several factors contribute to Sunday anxiety:
Transition stress. Moving from unstructured weekend time to structured weekday demands is a shift. Your brain is anticipating the increased load.
Accumulated avoidance. All the things you avoided thinking about during the weekend suddenly demand attention. The mental backlog catches up.
Loss of autonomy. Weekends offer more control over your time. Sundays remind you that control is about to decrease.
Unprocessed stress. If your week was stressful, you might have pushed those feelings aside. Sunday evening is often when they resurface.
Job dissatisfaction. Dreading Monday can be a signal that something about your work situation isn't right. The Scaries might be your psyche waving a flag.
Social media comparison. Seeing others' "perfect weekends" online can intensify feelings that yours wasn't enough.
When It's More Than Just "the Scaries"
For some people, Sunday anxiety is more intense than typical nervousness:
- If your job involves toxic dynamics, bullying, or impossible demands
- If you have an anxiety disorder that amplifies anticipatory worry
- If you're in a depression that makes everything feel heavier
- If your work situation is genuinely unsustainable
In these cases, Sunday Scaries aren't just about the transition—they're signals worth paying attention to.
Strategies for Easier Sundays
1. Create a Sunday Evening Ritual
Instead of dreading Sunday nights, give them something positive. A favorite meal, a movie you enjoy, a relaxing bath, time with loved ones. Make Sunday evening something to look forward to, not just survive.
2. Do a "Brain Dump" Earlier in the Day
Sunday afternoon, take 10 minutes to write down everything on your mind about the coming week. Get it out of your head and onto paper. This prevents the evening rumination spiral.
3. Prepare (Just a Little) for Monday
A small amount of preparation can ease anxiety significantly:
- Lay out tomorrow's clothes
- Pack your bag or prepare what you need
- Review your Monday calendar briefly
- Identify your one most important task for tomorrow
This isn't about working on Sunday—it's about reducing Monday morning friction.
4. Limit Sunday Night News and Social Media
News triggers stress responses. Social media triggers comparison. Neither helps when you're already anxious. Consider a Sunday evening digital curfew.
5. Practice Grounding
When anxiety builds, come back to the present moment:
- Name 5 things you can see
- Take slow, deep breaths
- Feel your feet on the floor
- Remind yourself: "Right now, I am safe."
6. Challenge the Narrative
Anxiety loves catastrophizing. Challenge it:
- "What evidence do I have that Monday will be terrible?"
- "Have I survived every previous Monday?"
- "What's realistically the worst thing likely to happen?"
7. Plan Something Good for Monday
Give yourself something to look forward to: a coffee you love, lunch with a friend, a walk outside, a podcast during commute. Monday doesn't have to be purely about obligation.
When the Scaries Are a Symptom
If your Sunday dread is intense and persistent, it might be worth examining:
Is your job sustainable? Chronic dreading of work isn't normal—it's a signal. This might mean the job itself, your workload, your boss, or the culture.
Are you getting enough rest on weekends? Overscheduled weekends don't restore you. You might be running on empty.
Is anxiety affecting other areas? If you're anxious about many things, not just Sundays, addressing the underlying anxiety might help.
"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." — Anne Lamott
A Gentler Sunday
You can't eliminate the transition from weekend to week. But you can make it gentler. This Sunday, try one small thing:
- Name the anxiety instead of fighting it: "Hello, Sunday Scaries. I see you."
- Do one tiny thing to prepare for Monday
- Create one moment of pleasure in your evening
The Scaries don't have to own your Sunday nights. You can take that time back, one small step at a time.
🌜