Sunday Blues. Why They Happen and How to Start the Week Strong
We’ve all had it - that creeping sense of unease, a low-level anxiety and that urge to check your calendar… just to feel more “in control.”
We call it the Sunday Blues, and it’s more common than you might think, especially for high performers and senior leaders. In fact, studies show that 76% of professionals experience elevated stress levels on a Sunday, with symptoms peaking in the evening. But why?
The Neuroscience Behind the Sunday Slump
From a psychological perspective, Sunday Blues stem from a few key factors:
Anticipatory Anxiety: The brain is wired to predict and prepare for what’s next. When your week ahead feels overloaded or undefined, your amygdala (the brain’s fear centre) activates, triggering low-level stress, even if nothing has actually happened yet.
Cognitive Load: Without mental closure from the previous week, your brain stays in a semi-loop — juggling incomplete tasks, unresolved issues and open tasks that you might have binned off on a Friday, ready for your weekend to kick off. This increases cognitive load and leaves you feeling heavy and scattered before the week has even begun.
Lack of Psychological Transition: Most people switch from weekend mode to work mode with no real ritual or reset. That sudden shift from freedom to structure is jarring for your nervous system, and it knows it. Your body holds the score, as the author Bessel Van Der Kolk put it so beautifully (another great book if you haven’t read it!!)
5 Ways to Ditch the Dread and Start the Week with Intention
Here’s how to work with your brain (not against it) to ease the Sunday tension and set yourself up for a stronger week.
Close the Loop
Unfinished tasks create what's called "cognitive dissonance" which is a gap between where you are and where your brain thinks you should be. Take 10–15 minutes to journal, brain-dump or review the past week. List your wins, identify loose ends and give your brain the closure it needs to let go. I do this each week with my clients to allow them to complete their week and be ready for the next.Create a Weekly Preview Ritual
Your prefrontal cortex - the part of your brain responsible for planning and decision-making - thrives on clarity. Spend a few minutes zooming out: What’s important this week? What’s non-negotiable? Where do you want to feel most present?
This simple exercise helps shift your brain out of reactive mode and into a state of intention.Design Your Environment to Reduce Friction
Neuroscience shows that our environments either support or sabotage our behaviour. Take small steps to reduce decision fatigue: laying out your gym gear the night before, doing your food prep on a Sunday for the week ahead, charging your devices and tidying your space are a few things to get done so that you’re not running around on a Monday like a headless chicken.
These micro-preparations help reduce cortisol spikes (the stress hormone) on Monday morning, giving your executive brain the space to think clearly.Downregulate Your Nervous System
High performers often stay stuck in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state, especially on Sunday evenings. To counteract this, do something that calms your system: go for a walk, breathe deeply, stretch, read a book or listen to music you love.
When your parasympathetic system kicks in (the restore and relax part of your nervous system), your heart rate slows, cortisol drops and your mind can reset.Set an Internal Intention, Not Just External Goals
Goals are great, but intentions change the energy with which you approach the week.
Instead of “I must nail this presentation,” try:
“I’ll bring calm clarity and presence to the work I care about.” “I’m not here to do it all. I’m here to lead with purpose.”
Intentions activate your default mode network, the brain’s self-reflective system, which helps you stay anchored in your identity rather than consumed by tasks.
Final Thought
The Sunday Blues aren’t a weakness; they’re a signal. A sign that your brain is doing exactly what it’s designed to do: prepare, protect and perform. But you get to choose how you respond.
With a bit of awareness, some gentle structure, and a few simple shifts, Sunday can stop being the day you dread and become the most powerful reset of your week.
If this resonated and you want help creating a rhythm that feels more energising and less overwhelming, send me a DM or book a Free Discovery Call. Coaching might be the game-changer you didn’t know you needed. Or if you're still questioning whether coaching might help you, follow me on Instagram to get a sense of what we're up too.
