Sunday is a chance to catch up with friends, catch up on lost sleep or last night’s hangover. But for many of us, when Sunday afternoon arrives, a feeling of intense anxiety and dread sets in – often known as the “Sunday syndrome”, or “Sunday scaries”, in English.
Not surprisingly, Sunday syndrome is so common. After all, research shows that Sunday is our unhappiest day of the week — with Saturday being the peak among the best days. There are a number of reasons why this syndrome happens and how you spend your weekend can play a big part in that.
For example, spending the whole weekend stuck in front of the computer is probably not a good idea, even if it’s for leisure. Research shows that people who spend a lot of time in front of the computer tend to feel more anxious in general.
Heavy alcohol and drug use can also cause your mood to plummet and anxiety levels to spike the next day. So if you spend your Saturday night partying, that might explain why you feel depressed or anxious on Sunday afternoon.
For many people, Sunday syndrome is also due to the work they left behind on Friday. Waiting for the next day, for the work you might have to do, and all the emails you need to update can cause anxiety. But working over the weekend isn’t the answer either — and it can even make your mental health worse.
Sunday syndrome can also affect you because of the social overload that happens over the weekend. This can be especially true for people who work hard during the week or for those who are single, who designate the weekend as their main time for socializing.
But spending time with others, as enjoyable as it is, can put additional pressure on us. For example, when we share our friends’ concerns, we can also become stressed.
If you are someone who tends to suffer from Sunday syndrome, here are some tips for you to try to deal with it.
1. Complete your tasks
One of the most effective ways to get rid of Sunday syndrome is to stop it from starting. That means trying to finish all the tasks you need to get done before the weekend, rather than putting it off until Monday morning.
When you know you have unfinished business on Monday, it can have a number of effects on you, including ruining your night’s sleep and making you more anxious on Sunday. It can even affect your next week, making you more likely to experience burnout symptoms. That’s why starting the week from scratch is crucial.
Before turning off your computer at the end of the day on Friday, you can also reflect on the negative things that may have happened during the week, consider what changes you might want to make for the next week, and try to tie up all the loose ends and tasks. easy as you can, rather than leaving them until Monday.
If you are in the midst of a long-term project, at least try to complete a task that is remarkable and that will help you feel that one chapter of your work is closed on Friday, with another one ready to start on Monday. .
2. Positive anticipation
Probably the biggest reason you feel anxious on Sunday night is because of fear of the work you have to do next week — especially those tasks you hate doing.
But having events you like and look forward to a lot planned for the week can help balance those negative emotions and make you feel more positive about the week ahead. Try creating a new routine on Sunday where you plan fun things you can do for the next week, like meeting friends for lunch or going to the movies after work.
3. Take notes
If you have Sunday syndrome but you have no idea what’s causing it, take 20 uninterrupted minutes to write down your deepest thoughts and feelings. This simple exercise can help you discover what causes your anxious thoughts, which can help you resolve them.
But if you are someone who has never tried expressive writing before, here are some tips that can help you get started:
- Write about your challenges using a different perspective (eg how your parents or best friend might see it);
- Try writing at different times of the day;
- If you find it difficult to talk or write about yourself, imagine that you are writing for a specific audience, such as your friend. This can help you better express what you’re feeling and understand why you’re feeling that way;
- If writing isn’t for you, use a tape recorder or video to help you express yourself.
Of course, there are many reasons why people may experience Sunday syndrome. While we can change some of these factors, others are a little more difficult to address, such as whether your feelings of anxiety are due to working with people who treat you unfairly.
But regardless of the reasons you might have Sunday syndrome, remember that we often tend to over-exaggerate our anxieties inside our minds — and often those fears turn out to be unfounded.
*Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. THE CNN featured the work of The Conversation, a collaboration between journalists and academics to provide news analysis and commentary. The content is produced exclusively by The Conversation.
Jolanta Burke is a psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the Center for Positive Psychology and Health at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin, Ireland. Burke does not work, consult, own stock or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article and has disclosed that he has no relevant affiliations other than an academic appointment. RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.
Source: CNN Brasil
