•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

•Use Text I for question.

TEXT I

HOW TO COPE WITH THE SUNDAY SCARIES

by Chantelle Lee

    ________(1) Sunday night, and you’re feeling sad and anxious about going back to work in the morning.

    Say hello to the Sunday scaries 

   You’re not alone in your workweek dread: “They’re very, very common,” says Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at New York University Langone Huntington Medical Group. “There’s nothing wrong with a person if they feel sad that the weekend is over. It’s when it really interferes in your functioning—when you can’t focus, when you can’t sleep, when you feel yourself medicating with alcohol—then you need help.”

   Here’s why people get the Sunday scaries and the best ways to combat those thoughts of doom and gloom.

   __________(2) are the Sunday scaries? The Sunday scaries typically manifest in two ways: feelings of depression that the weekend is ending, feelings of anxiety about the week to come, or both. These feelings typically start on Sunday afternoon.

   “It could be that you feel sad and irritable and you have difficulty concentrating and fatigue,”

   Cooperman says. That collection of feelings is called anhedonia—basically a loss of enjoyment.

   If you feel more dread for the work week ahead, that’s called “anticipatory anxiety,” she says.

   Why people get them 

   The scaries strike for all kinds of reasons. They could be related to work—maybe you’re afraid of losing your job, or you’re dreading going to the office in person, or you’re simply having a hard time unplugging from work after hours, Cooperman says.

   Or, she adds, it could also be that you overbooked yourself during the week and feel exhausted by the time Sunday comes around.

   How to deal with the Sunday scaries

  One of the best ways to deal with the Sunday scaries is to mentally plant yourself firmly in the present. One way to achieve this is to try a mediation or relaxation app, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, Cooperman says. “I think that’s probably the best out of all the tips: stay in the moment, really try to curtail that catastrophizing into the future,” she says. There are other paths away from the scaries, too: Unplug from your phone or social media, maintain a good work-life balance, do some exercise, or get some fresh air. Make sure to schedule fun activities for Sunday afternoon and evening and do things that reliably make you feel better or help you “refuel [your] batteries,” Cooperman says. Just as important is allowing yourself downtime to relax and unwind, she adds. She also recommends trying to split up errands throughout the week so you don’t feel like you wasted your entire Sunday doing them.

   While the Sunday scaries are common, people should keep an eye on how they’re coping come the end of the weekend. “Use healthy, adaptive ways to self-soothe when you’re anxious and have the scaries,” Cooperman says. “A glass of wine is fine, but if it’s more than that and you need it every night, then that’s a problem.” If the scaries are so bad that it’s significantly impacting your life, Cooperman suggests talking about these feelings with a therapist or a psychologist. Some warning signs include being so anxious that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, having anxiety attacks, needing alcohol to calm down, not being able to focus or sleep, or failing to enjoy the weekend at all. “If you just can’t get out of that loop where you’re constantly unhappy, then I think you’re at a place where you should see a psychologist or a therapist,” Cooperman says. “Sometimes it’s hard to [deal with it] on your own. It’s good to talk to a professional.” 

LEE, Chantelle. How to cope with the Sunday scaries. Time, New York, 6 Apr. 2025. Available at: https://time.com/7275089/what-are-sunday-scaries/. Accessed on: 11 Aug. 2025.

TEXTO

BRASILEIROS CRIAM BIOPLÁSTICO FEITO DE ALIMENTOS

         A preocupação com o impacto ecológico do descarte de plásticos tem impulsionado pesquisas que aliam sustentabilidade à inovação. Uma delas é conduzida por pesquisadores do Instituto de Macromoléculas da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IMA-UFRJ), que querem transformar o mercado de embalagens a partir de alimentos como linhaça, alho, pimenta e chia.

         A promessa são bioplásticos produzidos com compostos bioativos extraídos de alimentos funcionais e que se degradam em questão de meses.

      Compostos bioativos são moléculas de origem natural que desempenham diferentes papeis, como atividade antioxidante, estimulação do sistema imunológico, equilíbrio do nível hormonal e atividade antibacteriana e antiviral.

      “Essa ideia surgiu por causa dos benefícios que os bioativos têm para a nossa saúde”, explica a professora Maria Inês Tavares, coordenadora do projeto. “Por que não utilizá-los para embalagens alimentícias, mantendo sua biodegradabilidade?”

      A invenção já está em processo de patenteamento e, além de mais sustentável – segundo os pesquisadores, a extração não envolve o uso de solventes prejudiciais ao meio ambiente –, promete ainda prolongar a vida útil de alimentos.

     O grupo aposta que a descoberta possa ser uma alternativa importante para a substituição de embalagens comuns. Segundo a Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU), esse setor é o principal responsável pela geração de resíduos plásticos descartáveis globalmente.

      Cerca de 36% de todo o plástico produzido destina-se a embalagens, incluindo recipientes descartáveis para alimentos e bebidas. Destes, 85% acabam em aterros sanitários ou como lixo mal gerenciado.

     Os pesquisadores da UFRJ afirmam que suas embalagens têm propriedades antioxidantes e protetoras que prolongam o tempo de prateleira dos alimentos e reduzem o desperdício.

      Mariana Alves, pesquisadora e integrante da equipe, destaca os resultados do trabalho: “A embalagem aumentou o tempo de prateleira dos alimentos testes em torno de 16 dias fora da refrigeração e 14 dias na geladeira. Ela oferece resistência de barreira semelhante aos plásticos tradicionais, mas se decompõe em aproximadamente 180 dias em condições ambientais favoráveis, preferencialmente em sistema de compostagem.”

    Durante o processo de decomposição do bioplástico, os cientistas monitoraram a segurança ambiental e as mudanças nos materiais, e concluíram que os bionanocompósitos – materiais criados a partir da combinação de elementos em escala nanométrica – não liberam substâncias tóxicas.

   “Os polímeros biodegradáveis são transformados em CO2 e água na natureza por micro-organismos, ao contrário dos plásticos comuns, que apenas diminuem de tamanho, formando microplásticos que continuam poluindo o ambiente”, explica Alves.

    A escolha da matéria-prima para a confecção do bioplástico também foi estratégica, evitando a demanda por alimentos básicos da dieta humana e explorando materiais como folhas e frutos que crescem rapidamente.

   “No caso da chia, ela tem um potencial antioxidante muito grande, principalmente nos extratos da semente”, afirma Alves.

    “Vale ressaltar que os bioplásticos têm diferentes materiais que podem fazer parte da composição, mas a degradabilidade dele no meio ambiente não produz nenhum malefício no meio físico, nem na atmosfera, nem no solo, nem na água e não contamina os recursos hídricos”, diz Leonardo Duarte, especialista em bioplásticos e professor da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), que não participou da pesquisa.

    Além do setor alimentício, a pesquisa abre portas para aplicações em áreas como saúde, tecnologia e moda. Nesta última, ainda segundo a ONU, cerca de 60% das roupas são confeccionadas com materiais plásticos, incluindo poliéster, acrílico e nylon.

   “Estamos animados com a versatilidade dos nanocompósitos e suas múltiplas aplicações. Isso reforça o potencial transformador dessa tecnologia para substituir materiais não renováveis em larga escala”, afirma Tavares, chefe do projeto. Ela lista, entre possíveis usos futuros, próteses, filtros e acessórios biodegradáveis.

     Um estudo recente do Laboratório Nacional de Biorrenováveis (LNBR) da Unicamp publicado na revista Nature mostra que o Brasil pode substituir plásticos derivados do petróleo por bioplásticos até 2050, sem aumentar o desmatamento ou degradar o meio ambiente.

     Atualmente, os bioplásticos representam cerca de 0,5% das mais de 400 milhões de toneladas de plástico produzidas anualmente, segundo a associação European Bioplastics, que representa a indústria do setor.

     No Brasil, onde os resíduos plásticos urbanos somaram 13,7 milhões de toneladas em 2022 — o equivalente a 64 quilos por habitante, segundo a Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Limpeza Pública e Resíduos Especiais (Abrelpe) —, ainda faltam dados oficiais sobre a produção ou comercialização de bioplásticos.

    Apesar disso, especialistas ouvidos pela reportagem apontam um aumento expressivo na demanda pelo material, impulsionado pela pressão de consumidores e mercados globais por alternativas sustentáveis.

    Um deles é o professor Duarte, líder do grupo de engenharia e monitoramento de biossistemas da UFRRJ. Ele estuda o segmento há mais de 20 anos e desenvolveu um bioplástico feito a partir de resina de babosa (aloe vera) combinada com amido de batatadoce, ambos cultivados de forma orgânica.

     Segundo ele, a biodiversidade brasileira é um diferencial significativo para o desenvolvimento de bioplásticos. “Essa riqueza aumenta nossa chance de obter resultados variados e materiais inovadores. Cada região do Brasil pode desenvolver soluções específicas, explorando sua matéria-prima local. Isso enriquece a pesquisa e reforça nosso papel no cenário internacional.”  

    Por outro lado, Cristiane Siqueira, doutora em engenharia de processos químicos e bioquímicos e coordenadora do mestrado em Ciências Ambientais da Univassouras, no Rio de Janeiro, pondera que desafios estruturais limitam a cadeia produtiva de bioplásticos no país.

   “Temos grande potencial graças à disponibilidade de matérias-primas, como resíduos agroindustriais. Contudo, os principais gargalos incluem o custo elevado, a infraestrutura insuficiente para descarte adequado e a falta de conscientização do consumidor e da indústria”, avalia.

    Embora o Brasil já tenha iniciativas de uso de bioplásticos, como em embalagens de cosméticos, escovas de dente e cápsulas de café, Siqueira enfatiza que muitos projetos permanecem no universo acadêmico ou no estágio experimental de empresas. 

   “Uma parcela reduzida alcança o consumidor final. É necessário investir em políticas públicas e incentivos para viabilizar a aplicação em larga escala, especialmente em áreas como a médica, onde o impacto pode ser ainda maior”, diz.

Disponível em: <https://www.dw.com/pt-br/pesquisadoresbrasileiros-criam-bioplástico-feito-de-alimentos/a-71121053>. Adaptado. Acesso em: 20 de setembro de 2025.