Adults who feel anxious on a Monday have greater long-term stress hormone levels, regardless of their working status, new research has highlighted.
A recent study from the University of Hong Kong has found that feeling stressed on a Monday is etched into your biology and can put you at risk of developing heart complications.
Experts have discovered a link between the start of the week and dysregulation of the body’s stress response system – a common risk factor of cardiovascular disease.
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During the trial, the team of researchers looked at the health data of more than 3,500 older adults involved in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
They found that the participants feeling anxious on a Monday commonly had higher cortisol levels in their hair samples compared to those who suffered with anxiety on another day of the week.
In addition, the researchers identified a 19% spike in heart attacks on Mondays compared to other days.
Cortisol is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, however when the stress hormone increases, this can trigger hypertension, insulin resistance, and immune dysfunction, the study has reported.
Previous findings have shown that cortisol levels are often higher on weekdays rather than weekends.
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First author Professor Tarani Chandola said: “Mondays act as a cultural ‘stress amplifier’. 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.”
