How to battle the 'Sunday Night Blues'

Many of us know the 'Sunday night blues' all too well ... it's that feeling that the good times are over and that a long week looms ahead.

The informally coined term apparently applies to a lot of people. A recent Monster.com poll found that 78 percent of people experience the 'blues.'

Dr. Scott Bea, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, says that the blues can "translate into a lowered mood, an increase in worry, or anxiety and an irritability as well."

To alleviate the blues, Dr. Bea prescribes planning some kind of activity for Sunday night -- it can be as simple as making a family dinner or planning to watch a TV show you DVR'd.

"Maybe involving the kids or involving the family in some group activity that keeps us engaged with each other rather than intrusive thoughts about our work week or school week."

He also says that unplugging can be helpful. Technology makes it easy for people to bring work home, which means they never get an opportunity to recharge their brains fully.


Chores like packing lunches for the next day are usually saved for Sunday night, but experts say that people should try doing that prep work during a time that's a little less stressful, like Sunday morning. As a result, the rest of the day feels a bit more restful, and less like prep for Monday.