Monday Blues

By: Advik Kumar

Monday Blues is referred to waking up feeling sad and low spirited on a Monday morning. This phenomenon generally affects students, workers and employees who have a 5-day working week. After a relaxing, fun-filled weekend, making this transition for a work day on Monday can be very discouraging.

So, what are the symptoms of Monday morning anxiety?

1 You do not feel like getting out of bed and dread the day ahead.

2 You immediately start to run through all the things that will cause you anxiety later.

3 You heavily anticipate how the day is going to go.

4 You try very hard to keep a positive mindset.

While these symptoms don’t apply to everyone. One or more may resonate, who are a strong Monday hater. This is primarily because our body’s natural rhythm gets messed up for a few days. We tend to have a different sleep and eating schedule during the weekend compared to the rest of the week. People like to think of the weekend as a time of rest and rejuvenation, where in reality is — Eating too much and going to sleep later than usual. Therefore, this schedule makes you more tired on Monday than you can imagine, which is directly correlated with low mood, irritability and impatience.

Thus, if you find yourself feeling low, tense or overwhelmed on a Monday morning. Follow these strategies to stay ahead of these feelings:

1 Don’t mess with your sleep cycle. Sleeping more than recommended 7 to 9 hours can make you more anxious and depressed.

2 Avoid over scheduling things on Monday. Try to avoid scheduling big tasks on Mondays.

3 Talk it out with a friend. If you are feeling low, reach out to a close friend during your lunch break on Mondays.

4 Don’t forget about your self-care habits. Try to balance your weekend and weekday activities. It is often better to study a couple of hours more on Saturday and Sunday to make the week less packed.

5 Take time to recognise things you appreciate about your studies or school. There is always something positive to find.

All in all, Monday is just another day. You are the one who makes it enjoyable or stressful. Mondays are the start of the work week, which offer new beginnings 52 times a year. Therefore, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

Have a happy Monday!