‘Sunday Scaries’ explained and one red flag you shouldn’t ignore

Most of us will experience the 'Sunday scaries' at one point or another. The term generally refers to the looming sense of dread and anxiety about the week ahead, with symptoms including irritability, depression and restlessness.

It's a pretty common issue, too, with an estimated 75 percent of workers impacted by pre-week anxiety.

Over on Reddit, people have been discussing the severity of their Sunday scaries, and how they try to reduce their symptoms.

One person wrote: "I have bad Sunday scaries to the point of crying sometimes or just laying in bed depressed and angry at the world I find it good to have something to look forward to on Sunday night, we plan a movie night, games night or date night and it takes my mind off it for a few hours. Also getting all my normal chores done early in the day makes me have less scaries."

While another added: "I was a primary teacher for 11 years and Sunday was always a day of work on top of 11 hour days Monday to Friday. I think all I ever knew was dread. Left that 18 months ago and I can finally enjoy a Sunday."

Meanwhile, another said: "If it helps I turn 40 this year and it's never been worse for me. I've been waking up in the nights with palpitations and sweats, worrying about work and the pressures of it all, feeling the strain of being the breadwinner in a very demanding role. I don't know what the answer is, but I really hope something changes."

Around 75 percent of us suffer with Sunday scaries (Getty Stock Photo)

Although for some, Sunday scaries can be temporary, for others, the severity of anxiety regarding the week ahead can be debilitating.

Dr Ashleigh Johnstone, a senior lecturer in psychology at Arden University, explained to PA News why people experience anxiety on a Sunday evening.

“I think that it’s really important to note that the Sunday scaries is not a formal condition,” she explained.

“It’s not something that a doctor would diagnose, however, it is a phenomenon that many people have experienced in some form.

“I would describe it as a feeling of apprehension, or that nervous energy that many people experience at the weekend as they start looking ahead to Monday.

“When we’re feeling uncertain or apprehensive, our amygdala can start treating these feelings as a potential threat, which triggers our internal fight-or-flight response.

“Our amygdala isn’t always sure whether something is a ‘real’ threat and so it’s safer for it to assume a threat and trigger the response, rather than assuming something isn’t a threat when it is.

“The fight-or-flight response can trigger releases of adrenaline and cortisol. The adrenaline is released pretty quickly which is why we can get that sudden on-edge, jittery feeling, whereas the cortisol comes a little bit later to keep us on high alert.”

Dr Johnstone explained there's a red flag to look for (Getty Stock Photo)

Dr Johnstone explained that there is one red flag to look out for, however.

“If it’s getting to the point where you’re not sleeping properly, you’re avoiding doing things at the weekend and are turning down opportunities because you’re so worried about the upcoming week, you might want to reach out for support from your loved ones or speak to your GP to check there’s not something more serious going on,” she explained.

Ultimately, if the Sunday scaries are having a tangible impact on your life, it's important to seek help and make some changes.