š§ Monday Reset: Why Monday Drag Starts on Sunday (and how to stop it) ā°
āMonday fatigueā doesnāt magically appear when your alarm goes off. It's usually preloaded on Sunday. Hereās the physiology behind it š š§Ŗ Your brain runs on prediction, by Sunday afternoon, your nervous system starts anticipating: - Early alarms - Cognitive demand - Social + work stress That anticipation increases cortisol and sympathetic tone before the week even starts. Now layer in what Sundays often include: - Later meals š - Alcohol š· - Less sunlight āļø - Doom-scrolling + mental load š± Result? - Cortisol shifts later - Melatonin release is delayed - Sleep quality drops - Monday morning feels like jet lagāwithout the vacation š ļø How to fight Monday drag (without ābeing more disciplinedā) These work because they shift timing, not because they add stress. š
Anchor light early (even on weekends)10ā15 minutes of outdoor light before 9am helps reset cortisol timing for Monday, not just Sunday. š½ļø Pull dinner earlier on Sunday. Earlier meals = earlier insulin drop = earlier melatonin release. š¶āāļø Low-stress movement Sunday afternoon. Walking > HIIT. This lowers sympathetic tone instead of adding to it. š§ Contain work thoughts. Write down Mondayās top 1ā2 priorities BEFORE dinner. Your brain relaxes when uncertainty is reducedāthis is neurobiology, not mindset fluff. ā Delay caffeine Monday morning (just a bit)Caffeine too early can worsen the cortisol crash later. Let your system wake itself first. š Which one hits you hardest on Sundays? ⢠Late sleep ⢠Late meals ⢠Anxiety/mental load ⢠Weekend Alcohol ā¢Something Else? or All of the above?