Spooky season has well and truly arrived. But this time, I’m not talking about Halloween. Whilst the usual frightful associations with this time of year come from carving pumpkins, dressing up in costume and going to parties (none of which are that scary, if we’re honest). We’d propose that the real spookiness of autumn doesn’t lie in what happens on October 31st, but rather in the whole atmosphere of the first half of the academic year. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, the air is getting colder, and the Sunday scaries are getting, well, scarier.
For anyone lucky enough not to be well-versed with this phenomenon, the so-called ‘Sunday Scaries’ refer to a sense of anxiety and/or dread that starts to set in on a Sunday, usually in the afternoon or evening, as you think towards all the responsibilities of the week ahead. Of course, this sensation is not specific to this time of year, but the lengthening of the evenings and emergence of Seasonal Affective Disorder can often make these worrisome thoughts even harder to battle. To prevent yourself from getting too spooked, here are five easy techniques to help scare those scaries away.
Keep Active
One of the best things to distract an anxious mind is to keep yourself occupied. Although it can be tempting on the weekend to sleep in till 12 and doomscroll your day away, try to get out of the house for at least a few hours, or spend some time chatting with your housemates. Also, you can always dedicate Saturday to bed-rotting to save some energy for a more active Sunday. Spending too much time by yourself allows those negative thoughts to fester, and a little bit of exercise can release helpful endorphins to boost your mood.
No Thinking After 6.p.m. (Or Whenever It Gets Dark)
This is a tried-and-tested rule that basically means that whatever thoughts arise in the evening are probably not to be trusted. Admittedly, this is a lot easier said than done, but just try to be aware of the fact that you’re far more likely to get into a tizz once the sun has set, and so try to prevent yourself from solving any big problems at this time. There’s nothing that can’t wait until morning.
Make A List
Sundays can feel stressful as the weight of the working week to come sits pretty heavy on your mind. A good way to ease this tension is to make a realistic plan for your week ahead, and lists of what you need to get done on each day.
Don’t Stay Up Late
It may sound oversimplistic, but a good way to avoid the Sunday Scaries is to just sleep them off. Don’t give your thoughts too much air time, and allow yourself to wake up well-rested on that Monday morning.
Keep Calm and Carry On
Speaking of Monday morning, it’s important to remember that, whatever the case, Sunday evening will be over soon, and before you know it you’re far too wrapped up in Monday to remember what you were even worrying about. All in all, as long as you keep your body moving and those spiraling thoughts in check, it should be the Sunday Scaries who are scared of you.
