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Experiencing anxiety every Sunday evening in Cheltenham or Gloucestershire? You're not alone. Clinical hypnotherapist Lesley Ford explains the Sunday Scaries and evidence-based solutions that actually work.

It's 5pm on a Sunday. The weekend's nearly over, and instead of feeling relaxed, there's a knot in your stomach. Your mind's already racing ahead to Monday morning—the meetings, the emails, the to-do list that never ends.

If you're reading this from Cheltenham, the Cotswolds, or anywhere in Gloucestershire, you're likely nodding along. This phenomenon is so common it has its own name: the "Sunday Scaries."

What Are the Sunday Scaries?

Quick Answer: The Sunday Scaries are anticipatory anxiety that occurs on Sunday afternoons or evenings, characterized by dread about the upcoming work week, racing thoughts, and physical tension.

The Sunday Scaries are that specific wave of anxiety and dread that creeps in on Sunday afternoon or evening. It's anticipatory anxiety about the week ahead, often accompanied by:

A tight feeling in your chest or stomach
Racing thoughts about work or responsibilities
Difficulty relaxing or enjoying the rest of your weekend
Irritability or low mood
Trouble sleeping Sunday night
Physical symptoms like headaches or fatigue

Sound familiar? You might be brilliant at your job, genuinely enjoy what you do, and still experience this every single week. Many of my clients in Cheltenham describe this exact pattern before seeking hypnotherapy for anxiety.

Why Do I Get Anxious Every Sunday Evening?

Quick Answer: Sunday anxiety happens because your brain anticipates the transition from weekend rest to work demands, triggering your nervous system to prepare for perceived stress—often too early and too intensely.

Your brain is doing what it thinks is helpful—trying to prepare you for the week ahead. But instead of productive planning, it goes into overdrive. Here's what's really happening:

1. The Transition Trigger

Sunday evening represents a shift from "rest mode" to "work mode." Your nervous system picks up on this transition and starts revving up, sometimes too early and too intensely. It's like your brain is trying to get a head start on Monday's stress.

2. Anticipatory Anxiety

Your mind is excellent at imagining future scenarios—unfortunately, it tends to focus on worst-case ones. That difficult conversation you need to have? The presentation you're giving? Your brain rehearses these over and over, creating anxiety about things that haven't even happened yet (and might never happen the way you imagine).

3. Loss of Control

The weekend feels like "your time." Come Monday, your schedule is dictated by work demands, other people's needs, and external pressures. Sunday evening is when you feel that autonomy slipping away, and your nervous system responds with anxiety.

4. Unfinished Weekend Business

Sometimes the Sunday Scaries stem from what you didn't do over the weekend. You meant to rest, recharge, tackle that personal project, or see friends—but you didn't. Now you're heading into the week feeling unprepared and disappointed in yourself.

5. The Cortisol Connection

Chronic stress keeps your cortisol levels elevated. When you finally try to relax on the weekend, your body doesn't quite believe it's safe to do so. Sunday evening, it starts ramping up again in preparation for perceived threats (deadlines, demands, conflicts).

Is Sunday Anxiety Normal?

Quick Answer: Yes. Sunday anxiety affects approximately 76% of workers according to recent studies. While common, it's not something you have to live with—effective treatments like hypnotherapy can retrain your nervous system's response to weekly transitions.

What Should I Do When Sunday Anxiety Hits?

The Problem With Fighting It

Here's what most people do: they try to distract themselves, have another glass of wine, scroll endlessly on their phone, or just push through feeling miserable.

The issue? You're teaching your nervous system that Sunday evenings are something to be anxious about. The pattern gets stronger each week.

Practical Strategies That Actually Work

1. Name It and Reframe It

Simply recognizing "Ah, this is the Sunday Scaries" can help. Your brain isn't broken—it's being overly protective. Say to yourself: "My mind is trying to prepare me, but I don't need this level of alert right now."

2. The Sunday Evening Ritual

Create a positive anchor for Sunday evenings. In Cheltenham, this could be:

A walk along the Promenade or through Pittville Park
A specific meal you love at a favourite local spot
A bath with calming music
Journaling about three good things from the weekend
A Sunday evening yoga class in Cheltenham or online

The key is consistency. You're retraining your brain to associate Sunday evening with something pleasant, not just dread.

3. The Monday Morning Brain Dump

Set aside 10 minutes on Sunday evening to write down everything swirling in your head about the week ahead. Get it all out on paper. Then—and this is crucial—close the notebook and tell yourself, "I've captured this. I'll deal with it Monday morning."

This externalizes the worries so your brain can stop rehearsing them.

4. Separate Sunday From Monday

If you're already in "work mode" by 5pm Sunday, you're robbing yourself of rest time. Set a boundary: no checking work emails, no prep work after a certain time. If that feels impossible, notice that—your relationship with work might need attention.

5. Movement Breaks the Loop

Anxiety lives in your body, not just your mind. A 15-minute walk, some gentle stretching, or even dancing to one song can interrupt the physical tension and signal safety to your nervous system.

Walking routes I often recommend to Cheltenham clients: the Honeybourne Line, Leckhampton Hill, or simply a lap around Montpellier Gardens can work wonders for shifting anxious energy.

6. Challenge the Fortune Telling

Your anxious brain is making predictions: "Monday will be awful. I won't cope. Everything will go wrong."

Ask yourself: "Is this definitely true, or is this the anxiety talking?"

Often, Mondays are just... Mondays. Not great, not terrible. Your imagination is much worse than reality.

Can Hypnotherapy Help With Sunday Anxiety?

Quick Answer: Yes. Hypnotherapy for Sunday anxiety works by accessing your subconscious mind to interrupt automatic anxiety patterns, retrain your nervous system's stress response, and address underlying beliefs about work, performance, and transitions. Most clients notice improvement within 3-4 sessions.

If you've tried these strategies and the Sunday Scaries still dominate your weekend, hypnotherapy can help in powerful ways. As a clinical hypnotherapist in Cheltenham specialising in anxiety, I work with clients experiencing exactly this pattern.

How Hypnotherapy Rewires the Anxiety Response

Hypnotherapy works with your subconscious or unconscious mind—the part that's running these automatic anxiety patterns. In sessions at my Cheltenham practice (The Isbourne Centre or online), we can:

Identify the root cause of your anticipatory anxiety—often it goes deeper than just "work stress"
Interrupt the Sunday-to-Monday stress pattern at a neurological level
Install new, calmer responses to transitions and weekly rhythms
Strengthen your nervous system's ability to feel safe during downtime

Changing Your Relationship With the Week Ahead

Often, Sunday anxiety isn't really about Mondays—it's about deeper fears around performance, perfectionism, approval, or control. Hypnotherapy helps you access and shift these underlying beliefs that fuel the weekly anxiety cycle.

One client from Cheltenham described it as: "I didn't realize how much of my Sunday dread was actually about proving myself. Once we worked on that in hypnotherapy, Sundays felt like mine again."

Building Genuine Relaxation Skills

Many people have forgotten how to truly rest. We can work together to retrain your nervous system to recognize safety and downtime, so weekends actually feel restorative instead of just a countdown to Monday.

How Many Hypnotherapy Sessions Does It Take to Help Sunday Anxiety?

Quick Answer: Most clients see noticeable improvement in Sunday anxiety within 4 hypnotherapy sessions. The exact number depends on the underlying causes and how long the pattern has been established. Some people benefit from ongoing support during particularly stressful work periods.

What Else Can Help Alongside Hypnotherapy?

Regular sleep schedule (even on weekends—erratic sleep intensifies anxiety)
Limit alcohol on Sunday evenings (it disrupts sleep and increases next-day anxiety)
Plan something enjoyable for Monday (even small: a nice coffee, lunch with a friend, a post-work walk)
Therapy or counseling for work-related stress or burnout
Boundaries coaching if work-life balance is the core issue

In Gloucestershire, there are excellent resources including workplace wellbeing programs, mental health support through the NHS, and private practitioners like myself who specialize in anxiety management.

The Bottom Line: You Don't Have to Dread Sundays

The Sunday Scaries aren't a sign that you're weak, incapable, or in the wrong job. They're a sign that your nervous system is working overtime to protect you—and needs some help recalibrating.

You deserve to enjoy your Sunday evenings. You deserve to finish your weekend feeling recharged, not already exhausted by a week that hasn't started yet.

If anticipatory anxiety is stealing your peace every weekend, it's time to address what's really driving it. Your mind is trying to help—it just needs better instructions.

Get Help for Sunday Anxiety in Cheltenham

If the Sunday Scaries are a weekly struggle, hypnotherapy can help you break the pattern and feel genuinely calm about the week ahead.

Book a free 45-minute consultation online and let's talk about what 's really behind your Sunday anxiety—and how we can shift it.

Phoenix Hypnotherapy - Cheltenham's Most Trusted Hypnotherapist

Location: The Isbourne Centre, 2 Wolseley Terrace, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1TH or online via zoom
Phone: 07376 622015

Book online: Free Consultation Booking

Serving: Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Cirencester, the Cotswolds, and surrounding Gloucestershire areas. Online sessions available UK-wide.

Specialties: Anxiety, Sunday Scaries, anticipatory anxiety, work stress, panic attacks, social anxiety, health anxiety, performance anxiety, PTSD, emotional trauma, and stress management.

Awards:

Gloucestershire's Most Trusted Hypnotherapist 2025
Best Hypnotherapy Service of the South West of England 2025
Best Rated Business Award for Hypnotherapy in Cheltenham 2025

Frequently Asked Questions About Sunday Anxiety

Why do I only get anxious on Sundays?

Sunday anxiety is anticipatory—your brain associates the end of the weekend with the return of work demands and stress. It's a conditioned response that strengthens over time without intervention.

Is Sunday anxiety a sign of burnout?

It can be. If Sunday anxiety is severe, accompanied by physical symptoms, and you also feel exhausted, cynical, or disconnected during the work week, these may be signs of burnout. Hypnotherapy can help with both Sunday anxiety and addressing the deeper burnout patterns.

Can Sunday anxiety cause insomnia?

Yes. Sunday night insomnia is extremely common and often caused by anticipatory anxiety raising cortisol levels when you're trying to sleep. Breaking the Sunday anxiety cycle often improves sleep quality significantly.

Should I change jobs if I have Sunday anxiety?

Not necessarily. While Sunday anxiety can signal genuine work problems, it's often more about how your nervous system has been programmed to respond to transitions and pressure. Many people keep the same job but eliminate Sunday anxiety through hypnotherapy and nervous system retraining.

Does everyone in Cheltenham get Sunday anxiety?

Sunday anxiety is widespread but not universal. In my Cheltenham practice, I see clients from all professions—teachers, healthcare workers, business owners, office workers, and more—all experiencing the same Sunday evening dread despite very different jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnotherapy

What is hypnotherapy and how does it work?

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that uses guided relaxation and focused attention to access your subconscious or unconscious mind. During a session, you're in a calm, focused state (similar to daydreaming or being absorbed in a book) where your mind is more receptive to positive suggestions and change. You're always in control and aware of what's happening.

Will I be asleep or unconscious during hypnotherapy?

No. You'll be deeply relaxed but fully aware throughout the session. You can hear everything, speak, and you're in complete control. You can open your eyes and end the session at any time. Think of it as focused, guided meditation rather than sleep.

Can anyone be hypnotised?

Most people can experience hypnosis to some degree. Your ability to benefit from hypnotherapy depends more on your willingness and motivation than on being "hypnotisable." If you can focus, relax, and follow instructions, hypnotherapy can work for you.

Is hypnotherapy safe?

Yes, when conducted by a qualified, registered hypnotherapist like myself (GHR registered). Hypnotherapy is a natural, non-invasive therapy with no negative side effects. You cannot get "stuck" in hypnosis—you'll always return to your normal awareness.

How many sessions will I need?

This varies by person and issue. For Sunday anxiety, most clients notice improvement within 4-6 sessions. Some patterns require 6-8 sessions for lasting change. We'll discuss this during your free consultation based on your specific situation.

What happens in a hypnotherapy session?

We start with a conversation about what you're experiencing and what you want to change. Then you'll relax in a comfortable chair while I guide you into a focused, calm state. We'll work on reframing anxiety patterns, installing new responses, and strengthening your sense of calm. Sessions typically last 60-90 minutes.

Will hypnotherapy make me do things I don't want to do?

Absolutely not. That's a myth from stage hypnosis. In clinical hypnotherapy, you're always in control. You can't be made to do anything against your will or values. If a suggestion doesn't align with you, your mind simply won't accept it.

Do I need to believe in hypnotherapy for it to work?

You don't need to "believe" in it, but you do need to be open and willing to engage in the process. Scepticism is fine—curiosity and willingness are what matter.

Is hypnotherapy available online or only in-person?

I offer both. Online hypnotherapy sessions via Zoom are just as effective as in-person sessions at my Cheltenham practice. Many clients across the UK prefer online sessions for convenience.

How is hypnotherapy different from therapy or counseling?

Traditional therapy often focuses on conscious thought patterns and behaviour modification through discussion. Hypnotherapy works directly with the unconscious mind where automatic responses and deep-rooted patterns live. Many people find hypnotherapy works faster than traditional talk therapy for specific issues like anxiety.

Will my GP or doctor approve of hypnotherapy?

Many GPs recognize hypnotherapy as a complementary treatment for anxiety, stress, and other conditions. It's always worth mentioning to your GP that you're seeking hypnotherapy, especially if you're on medication or have other health conditions. Hypnotherapy works alongside medical care, not as a replacement.

How much does hypnotherapy cost in Cheltenham?

Sessions at Phoenix Hypnotherapy are £115 per session (up to 1.5 hours). I also offer package deals and group programs. Your first consultation is always free so we can discuss whether hypnotherapy is right for you.

About the Author:

Lesley Ford is a multi-award-winning clinical hypnotherapist based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, specialising in anxiety, emotional trauma, PTSD, and helping people reclaim calm and confidence in their daily lives. Lesley is a registered member of the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) and has helped hundreds of clients across Gloucestershire overcome anxiety patterns and build lasting emotional resilience.

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