By Meghan Brue

Monday mornings are hard for everybody.  It’s back to work after a nice weekend off.  We feel tired, grumpy, and ready to go back to bed. 

Not only do we feel that way but according to some recent studies so does our body.  According to the BBC, there is a 20% higher chance of suffering from a heart attack on Monday morning. 

What are the contributing factors?  Weekend parties and the stress of going back to work are thought to be a couple of the causes. 

According to CNN, a significant increase in blood pressure on Monday mornings can lead to a heart attack.  The stress of going back to work for a long work week is credited with the rise in blood pressure. 

A study of 175 men and women in which they wore heart monitoring devices for a week all reported higher blood pressure in the early week and in the mornings-especially Monday.  Volunteers who did not have to report to work on Monday showed little or no signs of any elevated blood pressure. 

Another explanation for the increased blood pressure might be the stress of the commute.  In a study done on fighter pilots it showed that when returning to work the pilots had the heart rates of someone doing vigorous exercise.  Monday morning traffic causes more stress than we realize.

            According to the Women’s Heart Foundation web site, Monday mornings pose the highest risk for heart attacks; however, there is a surprising second – Saturday mornings.  It is thought to be because of the rise in drinking alcohol the night before.  Alcohol has always been connected to heart disease and heart problems, but it may be more closely related than at first thought. 

            The bottom line is that heart attacks can strike any time of the day or night and on any day of the week.  No way exists to tell when and where one could strike.  The best way to avoid heart attacks is to eat right, get lots of sleep, and stay away from liquor, beer, and smoking.  These are the biggest factors in heart attack prevention. 

            If you do these things, the chances of you having a heart attack should decrease.  “I didn’t live my early years as a health conscious nut, but we didn’t have any of the information we have today when I was growing up,” says Keith Jensen, a 70-year old retired farmer.  “But now I try to pay attention to all those health warnings.  Sometimes there is just too many I can’t keep track,” he says with a chuckle. 

For more information:

(Feb. 2005).  Monday Morning Bad for Your Health.  Retrieved July 27, 2007 from www.cnn.com

(Jan. 2000).  Mondays ‘bring heart attacks’.  Retrieved July 27, 2007 from www.news.bbc.co.uk

(1999).  What is a Heart Attack?. Retrieved on July 27, 2007 from www.womensheartfoundation.org