The Monday blues could be harming your health, even if you’re unemployed or retired.
According to The Independent, a new study has found that feeling anxious at the start of the week is linked to higher levels of long-term stress hormones, with effects lasting for months and raising the risk of heart disease.
Experts have long noted that stress impacts nearly every part of the body – with the sensation linked to a host of conditions including heart disease and bowel problems.
The research, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, followed over 3,500 older adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Participants who reported Monday anxiety had nearly 25 per cent higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their hair samples compared to those who felt anxious on other days.
Even retirees showed signs of the dreaded Mondays, indicating that the blame goes beyond just workplace pressure.
Researchers say this points to ‘societal rhythms’ linked to the start of the week affecting the body’s stress response, with potential long-term health risks.
Previous studies have already shown stress hormone levels tend to rise on weekdays.
Mondays are already known to see a 20 per cent spike in heart attacks.
Experts believe the body’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls stress hormones like cortisol, plays a role in this.
When stress hormones remain elevated over time, they can contribute to high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and immune problems, all of which are linked to cardiovascular disease.
‘The increase in CVD events on Mondays is unlikely to be a random phenomenon,’ researchers wrote.
They found a clear association between Monday anxiety and dysregulation of the body’s stress system, regardless of whether people were still working.
‘For some older adults, the week’s transition triggers a biological cascade that lingers for months,’ said study author Tarani Chandola from the University of Hong Kong.
‘This isn’t about work – it’s about how deeply ingrained Mondays are in our stress physiology, even after careers end.’
Researchers hope that by addressing Monday-specific stress, it may be possible to find new ways to reduce heart disease risks in ageing populations.
Last month, a leading psychologist warned against the trauma of daily ‘micro stresses’ such as being stuck in traffic that have detrimental effects on your health.
Dr. Becky Spelman, UK licensed psychologist, explained to Femail that human brains ‘aren’t wired for constant low-level friction’ such as losing your keys and being in a rush.
‘Repeated minor stressors can lead to the same physiological and emotional exhaustion as a single major stressor,’ she explained.
‘When the small stresses pile up with no opportunity to decompress, they create an emotional static that affects concentration, patience, and even physical health,’ Dr Spelman said.
Dr Spelman suggested people ‘incorporate small, daily rituals that restore calm’, adding that overall management of stress should also focus on ‘staying steady’ during brief moments of strain.
Micro stresses are defined as small daily annoyances that, though seemingly small at the time, can weigh heavy on overall wellbeing when experienced in culmination.
