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Study Spotlight: How a Weekly Feeling Can Become Chronic Stress

My friend Dr. Modupe Akinola (who is also a brilliant Professor at Columbia Business School, hosts the TedBusiness podcast and leader who also worked with Chris Hemsworth (that’s right, Thor) in Limitless, and is just brilliant) recently shared this article and study. That Dread You Feel on Mondays is Real

A University of Hong Kong study (Journal of Affective Disorders) found that older adults who felt anxious on Mondays had 23% higher cortisol levels—and these elevated levels lasted for up to two months afterward . Elevated cortisol isn’t just a number—it’s linked to immune suppression, heart disease, anxiety, and chronic illness .

As a former teacher who has also worked with thousands of educational leaders, I see firsthand the impact of that Monday anxiety/Sunday scaries. This study got my brain going for a few reasons, so I wanted to share it here.

Expert Insight: Why Mondays Can Trigger Real Stress

Dr. Modupe Akinola, Columbia Business School professor, explains:

“There is something effortful about Mondays — you have to get up, get dressed, get focused, deal with traffic, when over the weekend you typically don’t deal with these things,” Akinola said. “All of those extra demands that come on Monday make it feel like you may not have the resources to cope … and your body’s stress system is telling you to get ready to battle.”

She also recommends a daily or weekly “stress inventory”—spotting what you’re dreading before your body reacts—“to move stress from background noise to top of mind…so you can take control.”

Possip + Internal Listening + Strong Organizational Practice

As a company focused on organizational listening, this study highlighted the importance of listening to your people – and of listening to yourself. Some of our Pulse Check survey takers share that they love the Pulse Check as it gives them a chance to pause and listen.

So how can you as an organizational leader help your team decrease Monday stress?

Organizational Pulse Surveys – Routine check-ins can surface themes like Monday dread – and what might cause it.
A Push for Pausing and Listening – Pause. Reflect. What’s your body signaling about your upcoming week?

Daily Team Huddle with a “Whip‑around” question – Try this first thing Monday morning: rotate who asks the prompt, like “What are you looking forward to this week?” These micro‑conversations foster connection, help alleviate the Sunday scaries, and create a shared, supportive start to the week. It also helps make the start of the week concrete and gives you a sense that you’ll have brain space to get your engine started on Monday.

👉 Explore our favorite whip‑around ideas here.

Additional Routines to Reduce Monday Stress

Drawing on Dr. Akinola’s research and broader stress science:

Weekly “Stress Inventory” – Write on Friday: “What am I worried about next week?” ➝ Identify stress patterns.
Mindful Breathing or Meditation – Even 3–5 minutes Monday morning can down‑regulate cortisol
Box Breathing Exercises – Inhale–hold–exhale–hold for equal counts—a quick physiological reset .
Positive Reframing – When stress surfaces, ask: “What’s this stress telling me I care about?” and reframe it as motivation .
Peer Check‑ins – Encourage employees to ask, “Do you need advice, empathy, or action?”—taken from Dr. Akinola’s guidance on supporting others .
Connection‑Building Rituals – Whether through shared Spotify playlists, ‘Monday wins’ shout-outs, or virtual coffee breaks, aim to recycle social energy into the start of the week.