The ‘Sunday Scaries’ is real. This is how you can beat it

It might start as a faint pressure in the chest, barely noticeable at first. But as the sun dips on Sunday evening, the feeling tightens, pulling every thought towards the inevitable. Monday is coming.

Sleep doesn’t come easily. The mind churns through an endless loop of emails, meetings and looming deadlines. No amount of weekend rest seems to erase the creeping sense of dread that builds with every passing hour.

This phenomenon has a name: the “Sunday Scaries”.

The “Sunday Scaries” is a manifestation of the anxieties associated with the working week, but it can be managed.Credit: Getty Images

For many, the Sunday Scaries is marked by a constant, nagging worry about what’s waiting for them on Monday morning. While it’s easy to dismiss as mere pre-work jitters, experts suggest that the Sunday Scaries is a more common and widespread experience than we might think.

What causes the Sunday Scaries?

Dr Moira Junge, an experienced sleep psychologist and chief executive of the Sleep Health Foundation, is well-versed on the Sunday Scaries – or “Sunday-itis”, as she refers to it.

She says the anxiety experienced on Sunday evening isn’t just about the responsibilities waiting on Monday, but it’s also the fear of losing precious relaxation time.

“It’s not only that you’re worried about the next day, it’s also around trying to just gobble up as much ‘me time’ as you still can,” she says.

Junge says this isn’t necessarily full-blown anxiety, but a dread and weariness that arises from the knowledge that a wave of busyness and responsibility is about to crash in.

Sleep Health Foundation chief executive Dr Moira Junge says poor quality sleep on Sunday can have lasting impacts on the rest of the week.Credit:

“When you are stressed and overstimulated and overwhelmed, your bodily functions … are incongruent with good sleep,” she says.

The body, revved up by anxiety, cannot easily slip into the peaceful state needed for rest. The autonomic nervous system is on high alert, making good sleep an impossible goal.

“For good sleep to occur, you need to have put a bit of work into the pre-bed conditions,” Junge says.

Unwinding before bed, along with paying attention to factors such as caffeine and alcohol, can help ensure that mind and body are relaxed.

Addressing the bigger picture

While managing anxiety around sleep is important, there are broader systemic issues that contribute to the Sunday Scaries.

Junge says workplaces need to be healthier and fairer, with reasonable workloads, so employees don’t feel overwhelmed. Being assertive, setting boundaries and delegating work are important to managing workplace stress and preventing insomnia.

“A lot of people feel this personal responsibility: that it’s their problem and their anxiety,” she says.

“But what I’m more interested in [are the] societal changes that need to happen, and that the workplaces need to understand appropriate workloads, appropriate rostering, appropriate relationships.”

Managing the anxiety

For many, Sunday night serves as the tipping point where anxiety begins to manifest physically.

“I come across it all the time,” sleep expert Elina Winnel says.

She says anxiety is essentially a fear of the future, where we perceive our workplaces as dangerous or threatening.

This fear triggers the body’s “fight or flight” response, preventing us from fully relaxing and getting the restorative sleep we need.

Both Junge and Winnel agree that understanding and addressing the underlying anxiety is crucial for managing the Sunday Scaries.

“It’s really important that people start to spend a little bit of time to work out ‘what am I anxious about?’” Winnel says.

Recognising the source of the anxiety, whether it’s a looming deadline or an unresolved issue with a boss, can help break the cycle of dread that repeats every Sunday.

Sydney Sleep coach Elina Winnel is an expert in adult sleep coaching.Credit:

Winnel says, where possible, try to plan a relaxing Sunday to counterbalance the anxiety. Observe the body for signs of stress – rapid breathing, elevated heart rate and/or muscle tension – and practise slow diaphragmatic breathing to calm the system.

Junge agrees that preparation is key, and says setting aside time earlier on the weekend to create a checklist for Monday can help alleviate last-minute stress.

“Sometimes Sunday night might be too little, too late,” she says.

Junge says it’s important to wait until you feel naturally tired before attempting to sleep.

“If you’re not sleepy and tired, don’t go anywhere near your bedroom,” she says.

Both experts agree that the Sunday Scaries doesn’t have to be something people suffer through.

“Sleep is one of the most modifiable elements of our health,” Junge says.

“Once you get the right information, have the right supports around you and you identify what the barriers actually are, you can start to get better sleep, and you’ll turn your life around.”

If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.

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