5 tips for coping with Sunday night anxiety

You know that feeling on a Sunday evening where you have finished your roast dinner, you have just watched Countryfile (maybe that’s just me) and then that feeling of dread for the week ahead sets in?

Naturally, we begin to feel overwhelmed. I read a really interesting article on Forbes that said about 75% of us feel dread about returning to work on a Monday and 60% of us experience our worst nights sleep on a Sunday.

Now I don’t know about you but those statistics are HUGE! It is also a catalyst for stress and anxiety for your whole week. However, what this also says to me is that it is totally normal to feel this way and that you are not alone – in fact, you are in the majority.

I feel very lucky that my job allows me to create the week I want with some level of freedom, however, on the flip side, it means that I can never really switch off.

If I do not do the work then it simply does not get done, so I end up feeling an overwhelming sense of pressure because of it.

Here are a few top habits that I am trying to put into place so I hope they help you in some way too:

1. Put a curfew on technology

Yes, I heard that gasp of shock! Personally, I get a lot of business through Instagram so I often feel under pressure that I have to constantly reply to people. Not being 100% on the ball and online creates anxiety and panic that I’m losing out on business.

However, we must remember that life is happening around us, away from our screens and that by reclaiming some ‘real’ time, we won’t be losing out on anything that can wait online.

2. Unleash your stress

Write down any stresses that you have about the week ahead and then simply close the book and leave it on the side. Popping it in your handbag or on the kitchen tabletop allows you to physically and emotionally distance yourself from those anxieties so that when you come to open it again the next day, the heightened panic you felt at the time has dissolved.

3. Yoga

So being a yoga teacher, I know I am biased but incorporating a gorgeous and relaxing nighttime flow can make all the difference. Even 10 minutes by candlelight to focus on your breath can relax the tension in your muscles.

As long as the exhale is longer than your inhale, it will affect the parasympathetic nervous system and relax you.

4. Create a pre-work Monday morning routine that you love

Whether that’s playing loud music and dancing around, meditating, going for a walk with a cup of coffee at 6 am, do it and enjoy it! Make it a habit that you want to get up for and you’ll start the day filled with purpose.

5. Share your problems

If you really are struggling in school, or at home please talk to someone. Often we are so consumed with our thoughts that we cannot think clearly and begin to close down emotionally. Getting a fresh perspective from another can help us to rationalise and focus on a solution, rather than ruminating on the problem.

It’s a tough lesson to learn as we all feel we have to be strong all the time but giving yourself the space to be vulnerable and reach out really does help ease the struggle.

Remember, Sunday night anxiety is normal so don’t beat yourself up if you are a usual member of the Sunday night slump. Trust us, you are doing great!