Perceived work overload and chronic worrying predict weekend-weekday differences in the cortisol awakening response
Perceived work overload and chronic worrying predict weekend-weekday differences in the cortisol awakening response
OBJECTIVE: The cortisol increase after awakening has been shown to be associated with work-related stress. Several studies demonstrated a moderate stability of cortisol awakening responses on subsequent days, suggesting situation-dependent variance. This study tests whether cortisol awakening responses are different on weekdays compared with weekend days and whether such differences may be explained by chronic work overload and worrying.
METHODS: Two hundred nineteen participants took saliva samples immediately after awakening and 30, 45, and 60 minutes later on 6 consecutive days starting on Saturday. Perceived chronic work overload and worrying were assessed by a standardized questionnaire.
RESULTS: There is a clear weekend–weekday difference in the cortisol response to awakening. This difference is associated with chronic work overload and worry. Independent of sex and weekend–weekday differences in time of awakening and sleep duration, participants who report higher levels of chronic work overload and worrying show a stronger increase and higher mean levels of cortisol after awakening on weekdays, but not on weekend days.
CONCLUSIONS: The weekend–weekday differences in the cortisol awakening response and their association with chronic stress clearly demonstrate that the day of cortisol assessment is crucial in psychoendocrinological stress studies.
Abbreviations: ANOVA = analysis of variance; CAR = cortisol awakening response; GLM = general linear model; HPA = hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
cortisol awakening response, salivary cortisol, weekend, perceived stress, work overload, worry
207-214
Schlotz, Wolff
49499d5e-4ff4-4ad3-b5f7-eec11b25b5db
Hellhammer, Juliane
3983f50f-3ab5-4a0d-8396-ecdb20fd0cd1
Schulz, Peter
215dfa50-7034-453c-8f9b-f4bf76e0164c
Stone, Arthur A.
e062923d-61b9-4b28-841c-33bffd7d7ed9
2004
Schlotz, Wolff
49499d5e-4ff4-4ad3-b5f7-eec11b25b5db
Hellhammer, Juliane
3983f50f-3ab5-4a0d-8396-ecdb20fd0cd1
Schulz, Peter
215dfa50-7034-453c-8f9b-f4bf76e0164c
Stone, Arthur A.
e062923d-61b9-4b28-841c-33bffd7d7ed9
Schlotz, Wolff, Hellhammer, Juliane, Schulz, Peter and Stone, Arthur A.
(2004)
Perceived work overload and chronic worrying predict weekend-weekday differences in the cortisol awakening response.
Psychosomatic Medicine, 66 (2), .
(doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000116715.78238.56).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The cortisol increase after awakening has been shown to be associated with work-related stress. Several studies demonstrated a moderate stability of cortisol awakening responses on subsequent days, suggesting situation-dependent variance. This study tests whether cortisol awakening responses are different on weekdays compared with weekend days and whether such differences may be explained by chronic work overload and worrying.
METHODS: Two hundred nineteen participants took saliva samples immediately after awakening and 30, 45, and 60 minutes later on 6 consecutive days starting on Saturday. Perceived chronic work overload and worrying were assessed by a standardized questionnaire.
RESULTS: There is a clear weekend–weekday difference in the cortisol response to awakening. This difference is associated with chronic work overload and worry. Independent of sex and weekend–weekday differences in time of awakening and sleep duration, participants who report higher levels of chronic work overload and worrying show a stronger increase and higher mean levels of cortisol after awakening on weekdays, but not on weekend days.
CONCLUSIONS: The weekend–weekday differences in the cortisol awakening response and their association with chronic stress clearly demonstrate that the day of cortisol assessment is crucial in psychoendocrinological stress studies.
Abbreviations: ANOVA = analysis of variance; CAR = cortisol awakening response; GLM = general linear model; HPA = hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
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Published date: 2004
Keywords:
cortisol awakening response, salivary cortisol, weekend, perceived stress, work overload, worry
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Local EPrints ID: 44765
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/44765
ISSN: 0033-3174
PURE UUID: 8c80c747-3bd0-4f59-90c0-cf95c785f4e6
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Date deposited: 15 Mar 2007
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 09:07
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Author:
Wolff Schlotz
Author:
Juliane Hellhammer
Author:
Peter Schulz
Author:
Arthur A. Stone
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