how to deal with the “syndrome” which is actually called “fear of Sunday” – breaking latest news

If you are among those who suffer the return to work on Mondays know that you are not alone. It is a very common form of restlessness, usually manageable and solvable, which has a telltale name: fear of Sunday. The good news, however, is that you can train yourself to reprogram your brain to think about the week in a different way, thus making the impact with Monday more pleasant.

I hate mondays

The “fear of Sunday” the feeling of discomfort that occurs on Sunday afternoon or evening atidea of ​​having to return at school, work or the daily routine of the week. It can be triggered by various factors such as office-related stress or lack of free time, begins Diego Sarracino, associate professor of Clinical Models and Techniques of Intervention and Anxiety and Mood Disorders at the University of Milan- Bicocca. The sensations triggered by the “fear of Sunday” are therefore not necessarily linked to the weekend itself, but rather to the way we manage our emotional states and organize our daily activities. In some cases the problem takes on the connotations of a form of an anticipatory anxiety which leads to brooding for hours in a vain attempt to resolve issues with an uncertain or vaguely threatening outcome, such as the outcome of a presentation or work project, the prospect of having to deal for days with complex tasks or even the time to focus on wake up to arrive on time. With time and practice, there are strategies for learning to approach problems in a positive way that can help change our perception of weekdays and feel like days as pleasant (almost) as the weekend.

How to fool the brain

One of the most useful strategies for overcoming the fear of Sunday is to insert some routines. Our brain loves them, along with predictability. They offer a sense of security, stability and control on one’s daily life, reducing stress and anxiety related to sudden changes and improving psychophysical well-being, sleep quality and productivity. Introduce one new routine or habitHowever, it requires a significant amount of mental and cognitive effort for the brain to adapt to different behavioral and environmental patterns, explains the professor. For this reason, a valid strategy could be to spread the new routines throughout the week, so as to perceive them as part of our daily reality. The most effective are those that we like and make us feel at ease. We can choose to do the same things every day, including Saturdays and Sundays, such as eating at regular times, taking a walk after lunch, practicing yoga in the evening, watching our favorite TV series.

When to go to sleep

Another important routine is that of the sleep-wake rhythm. So make room for outings and evenings with friends, essential for our well-being but, as multiple studies have shown, lack of adequate sleep can have a negative impact on mental health, physical health and productivity. The advice of avoid so-called social jet lagi.e. the exaggerated change in sleep routine over the weekend typically manifested by going to sleep and/or getting up much later than usual. This behavior can disturb the body’s natural circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates the entire body, and cause difficulty falling asleep, sleepiness during the day, and reduced quality of sleep. To lose, therefore, our mood.

The role of hormones

In making us live badly, the recovery on Monday can also affect hormones. The
cortisol
, for example, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that is released in response to stress and dangerous situations. It is therefore not surprising to read, in a small study published in Yonsei Medical Journal, that his levels measured half an hour after waking up in saliva samples of 74 full-time workers, they tend to be highest on Mondays and Tuesdays. Its excess in the blood can have negative effects on physical and mental health, including sleep disturbances, memory and concentration problems. To counteract the fluctuations of this hormone and reduce stress levels, it may be useful to train the brain to recognize only real threats, developing skills to better manage our environment and our emotions, the professor points out. Mail, social media and other external sources of stress let’s postpone them, when possible, an hour after waking up. The cortisol peak occurs a few hours before dawn, when the body needs to mobilize the energy resources that the body will need when it’s time to get up. Unless you’re under stress, its levels dip until the next morning. This is why it might be useful to wait an hour before consulting your smartphone or computer.

Finish work tasks

To improve the mood on Monday it may be strategic to organize work in order to have a less uphill start to the week: it means leave as few things suspended as possible on Friday evening, adds the expert. Also, learn to take the time to do activities you enjoy in the early hours of Monday such as a walk to the office listening to music or podcasts or, if not possible, carve out this ritual in your lunch break. Introducing new habits takes time and effort, so it’s important not to overdo it and set realistic goals for the day, trying to stick to the schedule as much as possible. In this sense, one strategy consists in identifying micro-goals and gradually inserting them into the daily routine, so as not to feel overwhelmed and stressed by the news.

Gi useful exercises

In this constant battle between emotions and reason they come in handy too relaxation exercises such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing. Mindfulness can be useful to focus more on the present and learn to observe our thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way. This can help you recognize when your body is overreacting to situations that aren’t actually dangerous, such as when Monday arrives.

When to ask for help

Generally, the “fear of Sunday” is an annoying but manageable problem and usually the discomfort dissolves once you return to work, after a day or two.
In other cases, however, it can be configured as a real one anxiety disorder or mood, concludes the expert. For example, people suffering from depression can get to fear not only on monday, but the same weekend, as they feel lonely or unable to find rewarding activities to do, thus fearing to resume Monday’s activities more tired and run down than before. In cases like this, you need professional help and the cognitive behavioral therapy can be a valid support.