‘Sunday scaries' is real health threat ‘increasing your risk of heart attack', experts warn
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CALL it "Sunday scaries" or "Monday blues", dreading the start of a new week can trigger long-term stress and take a toll on your heart health, scientists warn.
The anxiety isn't just workplace related - retirees also displayed signs of heightened stress on Mondays after they'd stopped working.
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Feeling stressed on Mondays doesn't stop when you retire, researchers found
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Researchers from the University of Hong Kong dubbed this the "Anxious Monday" effect.
It suggests dysregulation of the body's stress management system - which is known to drive heart disease - is linked to the start of the week, regardless of work status, researchers said.
Previous research has shown a 19 per cent increase in heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths on Mondays, the study authors also pointed out.
They believe spikes in Monday heart attacks were unlikely to be random.
Lead author Professor Tarani Chandola from the department of sociology, faculty of social sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), 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."
Feelings of stress and anxiety are linked to cardiovascular disease through a key biological mechanism called hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation.
The HPA axis is the body's main way of responding to stress and results in the release of cortisol - known as the stress hormone - in the body.
HPA axis dysregulation is characterised by excessive levels of cortisol production, which has previously been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and death, researchers explained.
Feeling stressed Watch our 4-minute at-home yoga workout scientifically proven to reduce anxiety and tension
It's also known to contribute to hypertension, insulin resistance, and immune dysfunction.
The study team set out to examine whether "HPA-axis dysregulation is greater on Mondays than on other days, and whether this association is greater for working compared to non-working adults", they wrote in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
They assessed data from over 3,500 older adults taking part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, including hair samples that showed cortisol levels in participants' bodies.
People who reported feeling more anxious on Mondays had 23 per cent higher cortisol levels in their hair samples than those who felt anxious on other days.
This was also seen among retirees, challenging assumptions that workplace stress alone explains "Monday blues".
When stress is something to worry about
For many of us, stress can be a part of our daily life - to the point that we don't pick up on red flags until it's too late.
Stress can affect you physically and mentally, as well as causing changes to your behaviour, the NHS notes.
You may experience some of the following signs when struggling with stress: Headaches or dizziness Muscle tension or pain Stomach problems Chest pain or a faster heartbeat Sexual problems Difficulty concentrating Struggling to make decisions Feeling overwhelmed Constantly worrying Being forgetful Being irritable and snappy Sleeping too much or too little Eating too much or too little Avoiding certain places or people Drinking or smoking more
If stress is taking a toll on your life, that's a sign to seek help for it.
Try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member or health professional.
You could also contact Samaritans, call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org if you need someone to talk to
If you need more support, you can get free talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on the NHS.
You can refer yourself directly to an NHS talking therapies service without a referral from a GP.
Source: NHS
Researchers concluded: 'This study found strong evidence for an association between reporting anxiety on Mondays and HPA-axis dysregulation.
'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."
The findings suggest social patterns - not just job demands - embed themselves in human physiology, with lasting health risks, researchers said.
Previous studies have pointed to higher stress hormone levels among people on weekdays versus weekends, but the latest research is the first to pinpoint Mondays as uniquely disruptive.
Researchers hope addressing Monday-specific stressors could pave the way for new strategies to combat heart disease.
"Hospitals and clinics need to plan for increased CVD events on Mondays," they also suggested.
"Most people should adapt to their feelings of Monday anxiety over their working life course.
"However, for some people, there is a lack of adaptation to Monday anxiety, and this does not appear to diminish when they stop working."
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