Mental health specialists explain why this day is sometimes psychologically difficult to get through.

Every week it starts all over again: morale is at rock bottom on Monday and we feel close to depression . It’s tough, but this feeling has fairly logical causes, as highlighted by several mental health specialists.

For people who live a traditional Monday-to-Friday work week, the weekend disrupts their usual rhythm, particularly their sleep cycle .
According to Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist in New York, “ Sleeping a little longer on the weekend is a good thing. However, changing your sleep habits every five or six days can disrupt your body’s natural rhythm. So, even if you sleep well Sunday night into Monday morning, you may still feel tired on Monday. And when we’re tired, we’re more irritable, impatient, and upset.”

According to Sanam Hafeez, “the most frequently cited reason for our aversion to Mondays is that they follow two days of freedom and pleasure.”

After the carefree feeling of the weekend, returning to routine and obligations can be psychologically difficult. For many, the weekend is actually more tiring than they realize.

People like to think that weekends are times when they rest. In reality, many people want to make the most of these two days, eating and drinking a lot, and going to bed later than usual ,” explains psychotherapist Meg Gitlin.

This explains why we are more tired on Mondays, and therefore in a worse mood.

The return of responsibilities

“When Monday arrives, many individuals experience a certain disappointment and apprehension about returning to their responsibilities ,” says therapist Becky Stuempfig. “This can be felt as a loss of independence and control, since other people determine what you do with your time.”

Disliking one’s job or finding it particularly stressful can also be a reason why people dread Mondays. According to Sanam Hafeez, “Whether it’s because of a demanding boss or unfriendly colleagues, feelings of anxiety and depression can start to appear as early as Sunday evening. This makes it harder to feel happy about returning to the office on Monday.”

Finally, Mondays can be difficult for people who haven’t prepared themselves, emotionally and/or logistically, for the start of a new week. On Mondays, our entire week is ahead of us. If it’s not organized, it can be particularly stressful.