Overview

• A University of Hong Kong team analyzed hair cortisol levels from more than 3,500 adults aged 50 and over in England using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
• Participants who reported feeling anxious on Mondays had cortisol levels 23% higher up to two months later than those anxious on other days.
• The so-called “Anxious Monday” effect appeared in both working and retired older adults, showing that work status does not reduce start-of-week stress.
• Chronic elevation of cortisol is linked to immune suppression, hypertension, insulin resistance and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Experts recommend that hospitals anticipate a spike in cardiovascular events on Mondays and encourage older adults to perform regular stress inventories.