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Mondays may trigger long-term biological stress

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Mondays may have a uniquely harmful effect on long-term stress levels, regardless of whether a person is working or retired. 

New research from the University of Hong Kong, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, analyzed data from over 3,500 older adults in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and found that those who reported feeling anxious on Mondays had 23% higher cortisol levels in their hair — an indicator of chronic stress — up to two months later.

This “Anxious Monday” effect was not limited to working adults, but retirees as well, according to the study. Only a quarter of the elevated stress was due to higher anxiety on Mondays. The rest stemmed from Mondays having a stronger biological impact on stress than other days of the week.

Researchers point to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is a system that controls cortisol, as a key link between Monday anxiety and cardiovascular disease. The study may help explain why heart attacks spike nearly 20% on Mondays and suggests that societal rhythms, not just job stress, are biologically embedded. 

Read more: ScienceDaily 

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