Nothing deflates the excitement of a Friday afternoon more than the Sunday Blues hitting way too soon afterward. One moment, you have the whole weekend ahead of you and the possibilities seem endless. The next moment, it’s Sunday, you go back to work or school tomorrow, and you just can’t relax anymore.

What are the Sunday Blues and what causes them?

The Sunday Blues (or Sunday Scaries, depending on who you ask), come with a range of emotions and feelings: irritability, unease, feeling anxious, restless, and dread for the impending Monday.

What you’re actually feeling is anticipatory anxiety, which is described as feelings of fear or worry around things that have not happened yet, like the upcoming workweek. Mondays are always going to come, but if you learn these strategies, you can beat those Sunday Blues away.

How to Overcome the Sunday Blues

1. The first step of tackling Sunday Blues is to think about what’s making you feel anxious – is it your to-do list for work? A big test coming up? A hard conversation with your boss? Try to narrow down what exactly about Monday or the coming week is making you feel this way. Putting a name to what’s causing your blues can help you manage your feelings.
2. Try writing down what’s making you anxious and take some time to brainstorm solutions so when you do have to tackle those tasks, you’ll have a plan ready. It’ll make you feel like you’re ahead of the problem rather than behind it, and that change in perspective will improve your mood.
   
   If your list is long, categorize your tasks: things you have to do, things that can wait, things someone else can help you with. Or high, medium, and low priority. No matter what your categories are, organizing your list will give you a sense of control over what you have to do next week.
3. Another way to combat the Sunday Blues is to reframe your Sundays. Make Sundays your day for self-care. Treat yourself to your favorite meal, have a movie marathon, spend some time outdoors, paint, or dance in your living room all day. You’ll soon start to look forward to Sundays as a day totally to yourself.
   
   If you normally reserve chores for Sunday, try doing them first to get them out of the way and reward yourself for a job well done. You can also do this for Monday – schedule something you’ll look forward to on Monday or during the week so instead of dreading the end of the weekend, you’re excited to tackle the week.
4. If you still find your brain working in overdrive, try getting outdoors. Even taking a walk around the neighborhood will take your mind off of the Sunday Blues, and getting some fresh air will offer new perspective. Spending 10-15 minutes of outdoors time should do the trick, and when you come back inside, you’ll feel rejuvenated.
   
   If the weather outside isn’t cooperating or walking isn’t for you, having a quiet meditation or practicing some breathing exercises can also help you get your mind off things. Pick a quiet spot, get comfortable, and close your eyes. If you’ve never meditated before, there are amazing resources and videos online to help guide you through it, and you only need 5-15 minutes.

The weekend will always come to an end. But using these techniques can help alleviate the Sunday Blues and give you a little mood booster before the busy week ahead. We have even more tips on warding off the Sunday Scaries.

Why are we always in a bad mood on Sundays?

Some people may call these end-of-weekend feelings “Sunday night depression,” but that may not be an accurate term. While we all may experience some symptoms of depression in the short-term, a major depressive disorder lasts for at least two weeks and affects a person’s ability to work, carry out usual daily activities and have satisfying personal relationships.

If you or someone you know is displaying the warning signs of depression, encourage them to seek professional help. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) can help you recognize those signs.

MHFA is a course that teaches you to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge. Find a Mental Health First Aid course near you and help make mental wellbeing a reality every day of the week.

Resources:

Raypole, C. (2020, May 17). Meet anticipatory anxiety, the reason you worry about things that haven’t happened yet. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/anticipatory-anxiety

Abraham, M. (2020, October 10). How walking helps anxiety. Calm Clinic. https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/treatment/walking-works

Raypole, C. (2024, Oct 11). 5 visualization techniques to add to your meditation practice. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/visualization-meditation