Almost anyone you talk to could tell you about Sunday Scaries. Well, maybe not in those exact terms, but many people all throughout the United States and abroad have felt that same kind of anxiety and sadness that can sometimes set in on a Sunday night. At least 76% of Americans surveyed through Monster, the job site, reported having really bad anxiety on Sunday evenings, as compared to 47% of the rest of the world.
Often this anxiety is due to work or school the next day, or this anxiety can be in regard to the week ahead in general. Sometimes, the Sunday Scaries are a little more existential. People often find themselves wondering if they’re on the right path or even more so if they’re “doing life” correctly. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” definition of the Sunday Scaries.
Obviously there’s no universal answer to curing the Sunday Scaries. Everyone deals with anxiety differently, and it comes in many different forms. Anxiety is sometimes defined as the anticipation of pain. While it might not be physical pain we fear, the emotional and mental pain we can face in a week can be overwhelming sometimes. We can’t know what the future holds, and often that makes us more scared and apprehensive.
Sundays are often a time to reflect on the week that has just passed us by, and it’s also often the time we think about the week ahead, the month ahead, and even the years ahead. When we reflect and see the ways that the week has drained us and potentially hurt us, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that the same thing will occur again this week. It’s also easy to imagine every little possible thing that could go wrong and to let ourselves spiral into very anxious place.
Obviously, sometimes things do go wrong, and there’s not much we can do to change this. The world we live in is constantly moving and changing, and sometimes it’s overwhelming. However, there’s always a possibility to be prepared for a week that’s laying out in front of you.
Preparing yourself for the week can mean taking some time to practice self care. Anxiety does not have only mental effects but physiological ones, too. By taking good care of yourself, it’s possible to ease some of the anxiousness you may be feeling. This means getting enough sleep, allowing for distance between yourself and the incessant buzz of social media, among other things. This can also mean stay hydrated and eating well.
As always, self care is a very personal topic. You should always consider what your personal needs are. Some people’s version of self care is indulging in a bubble bath, doing a face mask, or things to that extent. Other people’s self care is more along the lines of watching a favorite TV show, eating something that makes them happy, or even just taking a shower. Self care is truly a spectrum. Don’t force yourself to go outside of your own limits, and you should always try to have fun and show kindness to yourself.
Also, since anxiety has a physiological side to it, it’s important to take care of your body. By making sure that you get enough sleep on a Sunday night can really change the mood of your Monday. For some, clearing their mind is as simple a writing in a journal. Another safe way to aid your sleep is to take melatonin.
It’s also important to consider that if your anxiety isn’t only a Sunday Scaries type of thing, it’s important to address it. Anxiety can be debilitating in people’s lives, and there are health professionals who are meant to help with it. Talk to people you love and trust if you feel like you need help.
All in all, anxiety is often a future driven state. While Sunday is a good time to reflect, don’t overwhelm yourself with social media and outside stressors. Allow yourself a space and time to attempt to wind down and let yourself just be. The future holds a lot, both good and bad, and being afraid of what lies ahead of us is completely normal. Just remember that when things are hard that you can always turn to those who love you.
Inspired by: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/sunday-scaries-are-real-why-ncna78…