If you feel an impending sense of dread as Monday morning approaches, you are not alone. Two-thirds (67%) of Britons report regularly experiencing the 'Sunday scaries' - a feeling of anxiety that builds up the day before heading back to work for the week. This number increases to 74% among the younger 18- to 24-year-old demographic.
Lack of sleep and a looming to-do list are cited as the top causes of stress at the week's end, according to the campaign's findings. And the high proportion of people reporting this unique type of work-related stress has led the government's Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to launch a new push as part of its 'Every Mind Matters' campaign that aims to combat this Sunday evening feeling.
The campaign, which launched yesterday (10 October) to coincide with World Mental Health Day calls on people to do small things that can make a difference to mental wellbeing, while also offering free tips and advice. As chartered psychologist Kimberley Wilson points out, often 'distraction' habits that people form when they're feeling said or anxious, such as binge watching TV or scrolling on social media, can exacerbate issues instead of helping.