Prevalence of Sunday Scaries Prompts Latest Be Kind to Your Mind Campaign 😔

Are you experiencing heightened anxiety on Sunday as you think about the work week ahead? If so, you are probably experiencing the “Sunday Scaries.”

In response to the results of new research conducted in September 2022 on the “Sunday Scaries,” the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) just launched the latest Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign, which calls on people to “be kind to your mind” by doing small things that can make a big difference to their mental wellbeing. The research, commissioned by the OHID, revealed that almost 7 in 10 Brits report regularly experiencing the Sunday Scaries (67%), increasing to three-quarters (74%) for those aged 18 to 24. Work stresses, lack of sleep and looming to-do lists were reported as the top causes of feelings of stress or anxiety on a Sunday.

To distract themselves from the Sunday Scaries, young people aged 18 to 24 are most likely to scroll on social media, those aged 25 to 32 are most likely to binge watch TV, and those aged 33 to 40 are most likely to comfort eat. Psychologist Kimberly Wilson, who is backing the new campaign, warns

“These ‘distraction’ habits can actually exacerbate the problem. … So, if you experience the Sunday Scaries like clockwork every week or feel sad or anxious, try getting active, which can help you to burn off nervous energy, writing down or keeping a diary of what you are doing and how you feel at different times to help identify what’s causing anxiety and what you need to do to help manage it. Small things can make a big difference to our mental wellbeing.”

Famous faces—including BBC Radio 1 host Vick Hope, TV personality Scarlett Moffatt, and pop star Tom Grennann—are backing the new campaign and calling on people to be kind to their minds.

The campaign’s website (https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/) provides free tips and advice and offers a personalised mental health action plan with practical tips to help you deal with stress, anxiety, low mood, and trouble sleeping.

Emcare’s mental health courses, including a Scottish Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) Course, can also help by providing participants with a greater understanding of mental health conditions and issues.  These are ideal for Workplace Mental Health First Aiders and Champions. Stress at work is still the biggest cause of absence at work and having workplace mental health trained staff can be extremely beneficial to individuals within your business.  See the HSE’s information on stress at work at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm?utm_source=hse.gov.uk&utm_medium=refferal&utm_campaign=guidance-push&utm_content=home-page-popular

To request information regarding Emcare’s Workplace Mental Health courses please email us here.

Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 9 October 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/every-mind-matters-campaign-urges-people-to-be-kind-to-their-mind.  Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.