Back to Reality: Why September Can Feel So Overwhelming
There is something about September that can make normal life suddenly feel very real again.
Summer plans slow down. Holidays finish. Schools reopen. College starts. Work gets busier. Diaries begin filling up and the darker evenings slowly creep closer.
One minute you are thinking about summer plans and the next you are looking at deadlines, responsibilities and everything you told yourself you would deal with “after summer”.
For some people, September feels exciting.
For others, it feels exhausting.
If you've noticed yourself feeling more anxious, emotional, unmotivated or overwhelmed recently, it may be worth looking at how much change and pressure you are actually dealing with.
The Sudden Return to Routine
Humans often benefit from routine, but changing routines can still be difficult.
During summer, sleeping patterns can change. Social lives change. Families go away. Work schedules move around. Students have weeks away from education.
Then September arrives and structure returns almost instantly.
Suddenly there are alarms, commutes, deadlines, packed schedules and expectations again.
Government mental wellbeing resources highlight the importance of routine during periods of change. Every Mind Matters guidance notes that structure and regular routines around areas such as sleep and activity can support wellbeing.
Instead of expecting yourself to immediately operate at 100%, give yourself time to adjust.
Routine can be rebuilt gradually.
Back-to-School Anxiety Is Real
For children and young people, September can bring another layer of pressure.
New classes.
Different teachers.
Friendship worries.
Exam years.
College.
University.
Starting somewhere completely new.
The Department for Education has acknowledged that returning to school or beginning a new school year can bring feelings of stress and anxiety for some young people. Its back-to-school guidance encourages preparation and support rather than dismissing those feelings.
Adults should remember that something which seems small from the outside can feel enormous to the person experiencing it.
“It's only school” doesn't make anxiety disappear.
Listening can.
Work Pressure Returns Too
September pressure isn't limited to students.
For many workplaces, September marks the end of summer annual leave and the beginning of a busy run towards the end of the year.
Targets return.
Projects restart.
Inbox numbers climb.
People start talking about Christmas before you've even processed the fact that summer has finished.
When pressure builds, people often respond by working harder and resting less exactly when their body and mind may need recovery.
Government workplace wellbeing guidance highlights the importance of managing stress and building resilience, while also recognising the role of good-quality sleep. GOV.UK wellbeing guidance recommends maintaining regular sleep patterns and seeking support when struggling.
Being busy is not automatically a problem.
Feeling as though you can never switch off is.
When Your Brain Is Already Living in Tomorrow
September can make everything feel urgent.
You are lying in bed thinking about tomorrow.
While working, you're worrying about what needs doing tonight.
During your day off, you're thinking about Monday.
Your body might technically be resting while your mind is still working overtime.
Research published alongside the government's Every Mind Matters campaign found that work stress, sleep and looming to-do lists were common factors behind feelings of Sunday anxiety among respondents.
One simple strategy is to get responsibilities out of your head and onto paper.
Write everything down.
Then separate it into:
Needs doing now.
Needs doing later.
Doesn't actually need doing.
Mental overload can make ten problems feel like one enormous problem. Separating them can make things feel more manageable.
Protect the Basics
When life gets busy, basic self-care is usually the first thing sacrificed.
You stay up later.
Skip proper meals.
Stop exercising.
Cancel plans.
Spend more time scrolling because you're too exhausted to do anything else.
Then you wonder why you feel worse.
Mental and physical wellbeing are closely connected. The government's Every Mind Matters programme recommends practical approaches including physical activity and strategies for dealing with unhelpful thoughts, stress and sleep difficulties.
You do not need the perfect wellness routine.
Focus on boring basics.
Sleep.
Food.
Movement.
Fresh air.
Human connection.
Time away from your phone.
They aren't glamorous, but they matter.
Don't Wait Until You're Completely Overwhelmed
One of the most damaging beliefs around mental health is that support should only be
used when somebody is in crisis.
Mental wellbeing isn't all or nothing.
You can be functioning and still struggling.
You can go to work and still feel anxious.
You can laugh with friends and still feel low.
You can have a good life and still need support.
The government's public mental health collection includes resources aimed at improving population mental health as well as improving the lives of people experiencing mental health problems.
Support does not need to be your final option.
It can be an early one.
Make September Smaller
When September feels overwhelming, stop looking at the entire month.
What needs your attention today?
Maybe you need to answer one email.
Maybe you need to go for a walk.
Maybe you need an early night.
Maybe you need to tell somebody that you're struggling.
Maybe you need twenty minutes where nobody expects anything from you.
The NHS-approved Mind Plan promoted through Every Mind Matters is built around practical personalised actions to help people manage stress and anxiety, improve their mood and sleep, and feel more in control.
That principle matters.
You don't always regain control by making a huge change.
Sometimes you regain it through several small ones.
September doesn't have to be the month you fix everything.
It can simply be the month you start paying attention to what your mind has been trying
to tell you.
You are allowed to take things one day at a time.
Support When September Feels Too Much
If getting back into routine is leaving you stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, you don’t have to keep everything bottled up. VÕS HELP gives you a space to talk openly with a qualified counsellor about whatever is on your mind. Whether it’s work, education, relationships or simply feeling like everything is getting too much, support is there when you need it. 💙
Comments