It’s 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The weekend is winding down, but your mind is speeding up. You’re sitting on the couch trying to relax, yet a familiar unease creeps in — a tightness in your chest, a voice whispering, “You didn’t do enough.”

You check your email “just in case,” replay a conversation from Friday, and promise yourself you’ll feel better once Monday starts. But you don’t. The cycle repeats — every Sunday night feeling like a quiet storm before the week even begins.

If you can relate—especially if you experience anxiety or OCD—Sundays can feel overwhelming. That creeping sense of dread, often called the Sunday Scaries, comes from anticipating the week ahead. For those with anxiety or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, this stress can trigger racing thoughts, compulsive planning, or physical tension, making it hard to rest and recharge.

At Fearless Futures Therapy, we help clients manage anxiety and OCD so that Sunday evenings can be calm, restorative, and even empowering. It’s 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The weekend is winding down, but your mind is speeding up. You’re sitting on the couch trying to relax, yet a familiar unease creeps in — a tightness in your chest, a voice whispering, “You didn’t do enough.”

Why Sundays Trigger Anxiety

Sundays act as a psychological bridge between the freedom of the weekend and the demands of the workweek. For people with anxiety or OCD, this transition can heighten intolerance of uncertainty—the brain starts predicting potential problems, rehearsing mistakes, and preparing compulsive “solutions” that never fully ease the tension.

Even small tasks like meal planning, responding to emails, or thinking about Monday’s meetings can spiral into hours of worry. Physical tension—tight shoulders, knotted stomach, shallow breathing—often accompanies the mental storm. Understanding why this happens helps you feel less powerless and more prepared to respond intentionally.

What Are the Sunday Scaries?

The Sunday Scaries refer to anticipatory anxiety that strikes before the start of the week. For some, it’s a passing discomfort. For those with anxiety or OCD, it can feel intense—like a wave you can’t get ahead of.

Common symptoms include:

• Racing or obsessive thoughts about tasks, responsibilities, or mistakes

• Compulsive checking (emails, schedules, work items)

• Physical tension, restlessness, or difficulty sleeping

• Feeling “stuck” in anxious or perfectionistic thought patterns

• Irritability or snapping at loved ones

• Digestive issues (stomach knots, nausea)

• Feeling dread or a sense of impending doom

• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank

Recognizing these symptoms is the first step toward managing them effectively.

Can CBT and Exposure Therapy Help With the “Sunday Scaries”?

If you dread Sunday evenings, you’re not alone. That creeping anxiety about the upcoming workweek—often called the “Sunday scaries”—can range from mild unease to physical symptoms like tightness in your chest or trouble sleeping.

The good news? Evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) can help.

What the research shows:

• CBT for anxiety: Across dozens of studies, CBT consistently shows a moderate-to-large effect for reducing anxiety. In adults, effect sizes are typically around g = 0.56, meaning most people see meaningful improvement. CBT is effective for generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and anticipatory anxiety—like the Sunday scaries.

• ERP for anxiety and OCD: ERP, a type of therapy that helps people face feared situations or thoughts without doing avoidance or compulsions, has a large effect on anxiety related to OCD. While most research is on OCD specifically, the principle—gradual exposure plus preventing avoidance—can be adapted to anticipatory anxiety.

What this means for you:

• Even if your Sunday anxiety doesn’t meet the criteria for a disorder, CBT strategies like identifying anxious thoughts, challenging them, and gradually facing dreaded situations can help you regain control.

• For those with compulsive tendencies or mental rituals around anxiety, ERP techniques can be adapted to reduce avoidance and anxiety over time.

• While therapy may not eliminate anxiety completely, most people see meaningful reductions in stress, worry, and physical tension.

In short: The Sunday scaries are real, but they are treatable. With the right strategies, you can transform Sunday evenings from dread-filled to manageable—maybe even enjoyable.

5 Strategies to Calm the Sunday Scaries

1. Plan Strategically — Not Obsessively

A brief review of your upcoming week can help you feel prepared, but avoid over-planning or getting stuck in perfectionistic “what-if” loops. Focus on top priorities and realistic goals to reduce anxiety.

2. Create a Sunday Self-Care Routine

Routines help signal to your brain that it’s time to relax. This could include a walk, reading, mindfulness practice, or a calming bath. Boundaries between work and rest are essential.

Mini strategies:

• Sip a cup of herbal tea, take a warm shower, or light a candle.

• Journal for 5–10 minutes: jot down wins from the weekend and intentions for the week.

• Digital sunset: set a time to put devices away, especially work emails.

3. Use Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques

Even a short session of meditation or deep breathing can interrupt the anxious spiral. Grounding exercises redirect your focus from obsessive thoughts to the present moment.

Mini exercises:

• 5-4-3-2-1 grounding: Notice 5 things you see, 4 you touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.

• Box breathing: inhale 4 seconds → hold 4 → exhale 4 → hold 4. Repeat 5 times.

• Short guided meditation (apps like Headspace or Insight Timer).

  
  

4. Limit Triggers

Checking work emails, social media, or other anxiety-inducing content can worsen the Sunday Scaries. Set limits to protect your mental space.

Mini strategies:

• Turn off email notifications after a set time.

• Avoid doom-scrolling on social media.

• Let coworkers know you’re offline and set expectations.

5. Practice Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

For OCD-related compulsions, ERP helps you tolerate uncertainty and reduce checking behaviors. Working with a trained therapist ensures these strategies are applied safely and effectively.

Mini strategies:

• Delay checking emails by 10 minutes, then gradually extend the delay.

• Practice tolerating uncertainty without compulsive “safety behaviors.”

• Work with a therapist for personalized ERP exercises.

Family and Teens: Sunday Anxiety Tips

Anxiety can affect everyone in the household. Teenagers may resist schoolwork or sleep late, while parents may feel guilt or irritability. Consider:

• Family wind-down routine: shared walk, light dinner, or mindful conversation.

• Prep for the week together: helps teens and kids feel in control.

• Model calm behavior: children often mirror adult anxiety.

Transform Your Sundays

The Sunday Scaries don’t have to control your evenings. With intentional coping strategies for anxiety and OCD, Sunday can become a time for calm, reflection, and self-care — setting the tone for a balanced week.

At Fearless Futures Therapy, we specialize in helping individuals overcome anxiety and OCD through evidence-based approaches like CBT and ERP. If Sunday dread feels overwhelming, support is available — you can quiet the worry, trust your mind again, and start the week feeling grounded and confident.

Take the First Step Toward Calm Sundays

Schedule a free consultation today and discover practical, effective ways to manage anxiety and OCD with confidence.👉 www.fearlessfuturestherapy.com