MONDAY ANXIETY CAUSES LONG-TERM PHYSICAL STRESS SYMPTOMS, STUDY REVEALS
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SPIKE IN HEART ATTACKS ON MONDAYS LIKELY TIED TO DEEPER STRESS PATTERNS, STUDY SHOWS
A recent study has revealed that Mondays can cause distinctive, long-lasting stress in the body, regardless of whether a person is employed or retired, potentially affecting heart health.
Published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the research found that older adults who reported feeling anxious on Mondays had notably higher levels of long-term stress hormones, which persisted for up to two months.
This phenomenon, described as the “anxious Monday” effect, was present in both employed individuals and retirees, suggesting a more ingrained connection between the beginning of the week and disruption of the body's stress regulation systems — a known contributor to heart conditions.
Researchers, including a team from the University of Hong Kong, analyzed data from over 3,500 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
Among those surveyed, individuals who expressed anxiety specifically on Mondays exhibited nearly 25% higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their hair samples — an indicator of cumulative stress over a two-month period — compared to those who reported anxiety on other days.
Interestingly, the effect was seen even in retirees, challenging the belief that Monday stress is solely work-related.
This indicates that broader societal patterns — not only job pressures — are influencing the body's stress response and potentially elevating long-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease.
For example, Mondays are associated with an approximately 20% increase in heart attack occurrences.
“The increase in CVD events on Mondays is unlikely to be a random phenomenon,” researchers noted.
The body’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which manages the release of stress hormones like cortisol, is believed to be a key player in this process.
Chronic activation of the HPA axis has been linked to conditions such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and weakened immune function.
“This study found strong evidence for an association between reporting anxiety on Mondays and HPA-axis dysregulation,” researchers explained.
“The anxious Monday association with HPA-axis dysregulation measured subsequently was evident among both working and nonworking older adults, with no reduction in the association among those not at work,” they added.
While past research has shown higher weekday stress compared to weekends, this study is the first to specifically highlight Mondays as having a uniquely disruptive impact.
“For some older adults, the week’s transition triggers a biological cascade that lingers for months. This isn’t about work – it’s about how deeply ingrained Mondays are in our stress physiology, even after careers end,” said Tarani Chandola, a co-author of the study.
The researchers hope that tackling Monday-related stress could lead to new ways of reducing heart disease risks in aging populations.
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